Surface treatment

Toluene anhydrous 99.8, 3-(Trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (TMSPM), Isopropanol. All chemicals were purchased from Sigma Aldrich.

All 3D printed parts were printed directly onto a consumable glass slide for easy transport and storage without the risk of damaging the micropart. To ensure that the 3D printed part adheres well to the glass slide, the surface of the slide was silanized with TMSPM to enable a strong chemical bond between the polymerized resin and the glass surface. The glass slide was first sonicated in an Isopropanol bath for 5 min, followed by a 5 min sonication in distilled water. The slides were then dried using compressed air and submerged in a solution of Toluene-TMSPM solution (90/10 w/w) for 2 h. Finally, the treated slides were washed with distilled water and stored under Isopropanol for up to 2 weeks. Prior to printing the slides were dried under a stream of nitrogen and adhered to the build plate using a double-sided adhesive.