Microfluidic devices comprising fluid flow paths having monolithic chromatographic material

• US 8,076,152 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Robotti, Karla M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Christine T
• Application Number:
  US12/902,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20110028669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 436/161, 422/61, 422/70, 422/50
• US Class Current: 436/161
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/528 Monolithic sorbent material
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/494 Fluidic or fluid actuated device making

Abstract

Aspects of the invention include a microfluidic device having a fluid flow path and a monolithic chromatographic material covalently bound to at least a portion of a polymeric surface of the fluid flow path. Aspects of the invention further include methods of making and using such devices.

Claims

1. A method of producing a microfluidic device comprising a fluid flow path comprising a chromatographic material, said method comprising:

(a) filling at least a portion of said fluid flow path having a functionalized polymeric surface with a polymerization mixture of precursor reagents of a monolithic chromatographic material; and

(b) polymerizing said polymerization mixture to produce a microfluidic device comprising a monolithic chromatographic material covalently bound to at least a portion of said polymeric surface of said fluid flow path.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said precursor reagents comprise monomers.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said monomers are styrenic monomers.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said monomers are acrylic monomers.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said precursor reagents comprise a porogen.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said polymerizing comprises applying heat to said polymerization mixture.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said functionalized polymeric surface is a functionalized polyimide surface.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein said method further comprises preparing said functionalized polyimide surface by a method comprising:

providing a microfluidic device comprising a fluid flow path having a polyimide surface; and

producing carboxylic acid functional groups on at least a portion of said polymide surface to produce said functionalized polyimide surface.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said carboxylic acid functional groups are produced by contacting said portion with a basic fluid for a period of time sufficient to produce said carboxylic acid functional groups on said portion.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said basic fluid is potassium hydroxide.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein said carboxylic acid functional groups are produced by contacting said portion with an acidic fluid after contacting said portion with said basic fluid.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said acidic fluid is hydrochloric acid.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said method further comprises producing vinyl functional groups on a least a portion of said polyimide surface.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said vinyl functional groups are styrenic functional groups.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein producing said vinyl functional groups comprises contacting said carboxylic acid functional groups with a carbodiimide and a vinyl alcohol or a vinyl amine for a period of time sufficient to produce said vinyl functional groups.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said carbodiimide is N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N′

-ethylcarbodiimide.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said vinyl alcohol is 4-vinyl-benzyl alcohol.