Recent Advances of PDMS In Vitro Biomodels for Flow Visualizations and Measurements: From Macro to Nanoscale Applications
Andrews Souza, Glauco Nóbrega, Lucas B. Neves, Filipe Barbosa, João Ribeiro, C. Ferrera, Rui Lima
Abstract
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has become a popular material in microfluidic and macroscale in vitro models due to its elastomeric properties and versatility. PDMS-based biomodels are widely used in blood flow studies, offering a platform for improving flow models and validating numerical simulations. This review highlights recent advances in bioflow studies conducted using both PDMS microfluidic devices and macroscale biomodels, particularly in replicating physiological environments. PDMS microchannels are used in studies of blood cell deformation under confined conditions, demonstrating the potential to distinguish between healthy and diseased cells. PDMS also plays a critical role in fabricating arterial models from real medical images, including pathological conditions such as aneurysms. Cutting-edge applications, such as nanofluid hemodynamic studies and nanoparticle drug delivery in organ-on-a-chip platforms, represent the latest developments in PDMS research. In addition to these applications, this review critically discusses PDMS properties, fabrication methods, and its expanding role in micro- and nanoscale flow studies.