Monoliths

A method of fabricating a self-wicking monolith for processing a fluid sample, the method comprising:

• providing at least one hydrophilic monomer and at least one linker monomer, the at least one linker monomer having two polymerizable groups spaced apart by a linker comprising at least one —C(R)2O— group;
• wherein each R is individually a hydrogen or an organic group;
• optionally wherein at least one further monomer is provided;
• obtaining a polymerizable composition by combining the at least one hydrophilic monomer and the at least one linker monomer in a porogenic solvent;
• polymerizing the polymerizable composition to form the self-wicking monolith;
• obtaining the self-wicking monolith as a polymeric matrix free of the porogenic solvent and free of any unpolymerized monomers:
• and
• forming an amplification zone configured to facilitate isothermal amplification of target nucleic acid sequences or whole-genome amplification in the fluid sample.