Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36038593›Full record

ArticleNature communications2022

Self-shrinking soft demoulding for complex high-aspect-ratio microchannels.

Dongliang Fan, Xi Yuan, Wenyu Wu, Renjie Zhu, Xin Yang, Yuxuan Liao, Yunteng Ma, Chufan Xiao, Cheng Chen, Changyue Liu and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Millimeter-scale fluid-driven soft robots.National science review · 2025
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Highly Integrated Multi-Material Fibers for Soft Robotics.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2023
    Article
  6. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Dongliang FanShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9034-8208
Xi YuanInstitute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-1865-530X
Wenyu WuSchool of System Design and Intelligent Manufacturing, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-6503-0601
Renjie ZhuShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-5888-9506
Xin YangShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9174-6486
Yuxuan LiaoShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3243-0227
Yunteng MaShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-0618-1901
Chufan XiaoInstitute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0002-9930-6020
Cheng ChenDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117575, Singapore.ORCID 0000-0001-8493-1192
Changyue LiuInstitute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2865-5749
Hongqiang WangShenzhen Key Laboratory of Biomimetic Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China. wanghq6@sustech.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-7286-7514
Peiwu QinInstitute of Biopharmaceutical and Health Engineering, Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518055, China. pwqin@sz.tsinghua.edu.cn.ORCID 0000-0002-7829-8973

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Microchannels are the essential elements in animals, plants, and various artificial devices such as soft robotics, wearable sensors, and organs-on-a-chip. However, three-dimensional (3D) microchannels with complex geometry and a high aspect ratio remain challenging to generate by conventional methods such as soft lithography, template dissolution, and matrix swollen processes, although they are widespread in nature. Here, we propose a simple and solvent-free fabrication method capable of producing monolithic microchannels with complex 3D structures, long length, and small diameter. A soft template and a peeling-dominant template removal process are introduced to the demoulding process, which is referred to as soft demoulding here. In combination with thermal drawing technology, microchannels with a small diameter (10 µm), a high aspect ratio (6000, length-to-diameter), and intricate 3D geometries are generated. We demonstrate the vast applicability and significant impact of this technology in multiple scenarios, including soft robotics, wearable sensors, soft antennas, and artificial vessels.

Indexed as

Printing

Identifiers

PMID36038593
PMCPMC9424246

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.