Frit material and bonding method for microfluidic separation devices

• US 20050006293A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nanostream, Inc.
• Inventors: Patel, Paren P., Koehler, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,153,421 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/198.200
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/20 Accessories; Auxiliary operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/081 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/087 Single membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/088 Microfluidic devices comprising semi-permeable flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 65/003 Membrane bonding or sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7182 with means for feeding the material with a fractal or tree-type distribution in a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/10 Integrating sample preparation and analysis in single entity, e.g. lab-on-a-chip concept
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0867 Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/14 Means for pressure control
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0406 capillary forces
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 : using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/14 : by plasma treatment plasma tubes per se H01J
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/16 : by wave energy or particle radiation , e.g. infrared heating B29C59/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/18 : using heated tools
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/02 : Preparation of the material, in the area to be joined, prior to joining or welding B29C66/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/026 : Chemical pre-treatments B29C66/028 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 : Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 : Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/727 : being porous, e.g. foam
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73161 : Roughness or rugosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81812 : the welding jaws being cooled from the outside, e.g. by blowing a gas or spraying a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/92441 : the pressure, the force or the mechanical power being non-constant over time
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/929 : characterized by specific pressure, force, mechanical power or displacement values or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/00 : Use of polyalkenes or derivatives thereof as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2071/00 : Use of polyethers , e.g. PEEK, i.e. polyether-etherketone or PEK, i.e. polyetherketone or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/756 : Microarticles, nanoarticles
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/0092 : in which absence of adhesives is explicitly presented as an advantage
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/02 : Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2309/12 : Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0008 : Electrical discharge treatment, e.g. corona, plasma treatment; wave energy or particle radiation heat treatment B32B38/0036
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 : Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/058 : Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054
• CPC Class Codes: B81C 3/008 : Aspects related to assembling from individually processed components, not covered by groups B81C3/001 - B81C3/002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2030/565 : slurry packing
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 : Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 30/6095 : Micromachined or nanomachined, e.g. micro- or nanosize

Abstract

A multi-layer microfluidic separation device comprises a polymeric membrane frit that may be securely bonded within the device and minimizes lateral wicking. Stationary phase material having an average particle size is retained by a frit having an average pore size that is smaller than the average particle size. In one embodiment, a secure bond is ensured by treating the polymer to match its surface energy to that of the materials to which it is bound. Treatments include plasma treatment, irradiation and the application of acids.

Claims

1. A multi-layer separation device comprising:

a first substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining a separation channel;

a second substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining an aperture;

a third substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining an exit channel,

wherein the second device layer is disposed between the first device layer and the third device layer; and

an adhesiveless polymeric frit disposed between the second device layer and the third device layer;

wherein the separation channel is in fluid communication with the exit channel by way of the aperture and the frit; and

wherein the second device layer and the third device layer are sufficiently bound around the frit to prevent substantially any lateral flow between the frit and the second device layer and between the frit and the third device layer at an operating pressure.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 10 psi (69 kPa).

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 50 psi (345 kPa).

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 100 psi (690 kPa).

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 500 psi (3450 kPa).

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a stationary phase material contained within the separation channel.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the stationary phase material includes particulate material having an average particle size.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the frit has an average pore size, and the average pore size is smaller than the average particle size.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the frit has an average pore size that is no greater than about one tenth of the average particle size.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit comprises a permeable polypropylene membrane.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit comprises a track-etched membrane.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit comprises a stretched polymer film.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit has a mesh structure.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit is about 25 microns thick, is about 55% porous, and has a plurality of pores about 0.209×

0.054 microns in size.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein:

the second device layer has a first surface energy;

the third device layer has a second surface energy;

the frit has a third surface energy; and

the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 5 dynes/cm.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 2 dynes/cm.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 1 dynes/cm.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is about 0 dynes/cm.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein any of the first stencil layer and the second stencil layer comprises a substantially adhesiveless polyolefin material.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the substantially adhesiveless polyolefin material comprises unoriented polypropylene.

21. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit has a melting point temperature that is significantly higher than the melting point temperature of any of the first stencil layer and the second stencil layer.

22. The device of claim 1 wherein the frit comprises a surface treated polymer membrane.

23. The device of claim 1 wherein each of the first device layer, the second device layer, and the third device layer is substantially metal-free.

24. The device of claim 1 wherein any of the first device layer, the second device layer, and the third device layer is stencil layer.

25. The device of claim 1 wherein a portion of the second device layer and a portion of the third device layer are interpenetrably bound.

26. The device of claim 1 wherein any of the separation channel, the aperture, and the exit channel is microfluidic.

27. A multi-layer separation device comprising:

a first substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining a plurality of separation channels;

a second substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining a plurality of apertures;

a third substantially planar adhesiveless polymeric device layer defining a plurality of exit channels, wherein the second device layer is disposed between the first device layer and the third device layer; and

an adhesiveless polymeric frit disposed between the second device layer and the third device layer;

wherein each separation channel of the plurality of separation channels is in fluid communication with an exit channel of the plurality of exit channels by way of an aperture of the plurality of apertures and the frit; and

wherein the second device layer and the third device layer are sufficiently bound around the frit to prevent substantially any lateral flow between the frit and the second device layer and between the frit and the third device layer at an operating pressure.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 10 psi (69 kPa).

29. The device of claim 27 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 50 psi (345 kPa).

30. The device of claim 27 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 100 psi (690 kPa).

31. The device of claim 27 wherein the operating pressure is at least about 500 psi (3450 kPa).

32. The device of claim 27 wherein each separation column of the plurality of separation columns contains a stationary phase material.

33. The of claim 32 wherein the stationary phase material includes particulate material having an average particle size.

34. The device of claim 33 wherein the frit has an average pore size, and the average pore size is smaller than the average particle size.

35. The device of claim 33 wherein the frit has an average pore size that is no greater than about one tenth of the average particle size.

36. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit comprises a permeable polypropylene membrane.

37. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit comprises a track-etched membrane.

38. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit comprises a stretched polymer film.

39. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit has a mesh structure.

40. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit is about 25 microns thick, is about 55% porous, and has a plurality of pores about 0.209×

0.054 microns in size.

41. The device of claim 27 wherein:

the first device layer has a first surface energy;

the second device layer has a second surface energy;

the frit has a third surface energy; and

the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 5 dynes/cm.

42. The device of claim 41 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 2 dynes/cm.

43. The device of claim 41 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is less than or equal to about 1 dynes/cm.

44. The device of claim 41 wherein the difference between any of the first surface energy, the second surface energy, and the third surface energy is about 0 dynes/cm.

45. The device of claim 27 wherein any of the first device layer and the second device layer comprises a substantially adhesiveless polyolefin material.

46. The device of claim 45 wherein the substantially adhesiveless polyolefin material comprises unoriented polypropylene.

47. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit has a melting point temperature that is significantly higher than the melting point temperature of any of the first device layer and the second device layer.

48. The device of claim 27 wherein the frit comprises a surface treated polymer membrane.

49. The device of claim 27 wherein each of the first device layer, the second device layer, and the third device layer is substantially metal-free.

50. The device of claim 27 wherein any of the first device layer, the second device layer, and the third device layer is a stencil layer.

51. The device of claim 27 wherein a portion of the second device layer and a portion of the third device layer are interpenetrably bound.

52. The device of claim 27 wherein the plurality of separation channels, the plurality of apertures, and the plurality of exit channels are microfluidic.