Laminated microfluidic structures and method for making
First Claim
1. A laminated microfluidic structure, comprising:
- a first component having first and second surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces includes a microstructure, further wherein the first component is a polymeric material; and
a second, polymeric component having first and second surfaces, wherein one of the first and second surface of the second component is fixedly attached to one of the second and first surface of the first component, respectively, by a bonding agent, wherein the bonding agent is a weak solvent with respect to the polymeric components.
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Abstract
A method for making a polymeric microfluidic structure in which two or more components (layers) of the microfluidic structure are fixedly bonded or laminated with a weak solvent bonding agent, particularly acetonitrile or a mixture of acetonitrile and alcohol. In an aspect, acetonitrile can be used as a weak solvent bonding agent to enclose a microstructure fabricated in or on a non-elastomeric polymer such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylic or other linear polymer to form a three-dimensional microfluidic network. The method involves the steps of wetting at least one of the opposing surfaces of the polymeric substrate components with the weak solvent bonding agent in a given, lower temperature range, adjacently contacting the opposing surfaces, and thermally activating the bonding agent at a higher temperature than the lower temperature range for a given period of time. The contacted polymeric substrates may also be aligned prior to thermal activation and compressed during thermal activation. A laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure is also disclosed.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A laminated microfluidic structure, comprising:
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a first component having first and second surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces includes a microstructure, further wherein the first component is a polymeric material; and
a second, polymeric component having first and second surfaces, wherein one of the first and second surface of the second component is fixedly attached to one of the second and first surface of the first component, respectively, by a bonding agent, wherein the bonding agent is a weak solvent with respect to the polymeric components. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method for laminating at least two polymeric components to form a laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure, comprising:
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applying a weak solvent to a surface of one of the at least two components; and
adjacently contacting opposing surfaces, including the surface having the applied weak solvent, of the at least two components. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A method of making a laminated, polymeric microfluidic structure, comprising:
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providing a first component having first and second surfaces, wherein at least one of the surfaces includes a microstructure, further wherein the first component is a polymeric material;
providing at least a second, polymeric component having first and second surfaces, wherein one of the first and second surface of the first component is intended to be fixedly attached to a respective second and first opposing surface of the second component;
applying a weak solvent bonding agent with respect to the polymeric components to at least one of the first and the second component; and
adjacently contacting the opposing surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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Specification