Multiresponsive microgels integration onto lab-on-fiber devices

Microgel assisted lab-on-fiber optrodes, arising from the integration of multiresponsive microgels onto nanostructured optical fibers tip, are emerging as intriguing multifunctional devices exploitable in biomedical applications, especially for label-free molecule detection. We have recently demonstrated that the sensitivity range of these devices is strictly related to the microgel films characteristics, which can be controlled during the microgel deposition procedure, based on the dip coating technique. With the aim of optimizing the deposition procedure in terms of fabrication throughput, we evaluate each fabrication step (fiber dipping, rinsing, and drying), demonstrating that the overall deposition duration can be significantly reduced from 960 min (of the â€standard' procedure) to 31 min, without affecting the microgel film characteristics. The analysis has been carried out by means of both optical and morphological characterization, and validated through repeatability tests. Overall, our results set the stage for engineering microgel assisted miniaturized optrodes, enabling their possible exploitation in industrial applications.