Composite Plastic Articles

• US 20110126911A1
• Filed: 11/18/2010
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IntegenX Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IntegenX Inc. (Thermo Fisher Scientific Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nielsen, William, Qi, Shize D., Van Gelder, Ezra, Blaga, Iuliu I., Kobrin, Boris
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,703 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/65 the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/022 Mechanical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 9/04 comprising such particular substance as the main or only constituent of a layer, which is next to another layer of the same or of a different material next to a glass layer B32B17/06; layered products with at least two ceramic layers composed mainly of ceramic B32B18/00
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/008 Multi-layer fabrications
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0084 Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 2099/0094 Micropumps
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0001 Microvalves microdevices B81B1/00; manufacture or treatment of devices or systems in or on a substrate B81C1/00; microfluidic structures B01L3/5027; micropumps F04B19/006
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0015 Diaphragm or membrane valves
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 99/0059 actuated by a pilot fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2213 Electrically-actuated element [e.g., electro-mechanical transducer]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86453 Plural trips or trip actuations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87249 Multiple inlet with multiple outlet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1039 Surface deformation only of sandwich or lamina [e.g., embossed panels]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

This invention provides composite plastic articles and methods of making them. The articles can be fluidic or microfluidic devices having fluidic conduits and, optionally, pneumatic conduits that regulate flow in the fluidic conduits. The articles comprise a first substrate coated with a layer of a material that comprises, or onto which have been introduced, reactive groups. For example, the substrate can be a plastic coated with an oxide or a siloxane onto which hydroxyl groups have been introduced. These articles are covalently bonded with other articles comprising reactive groups on their surfaces, for example, polysiloxanes treated to have silanol groups. Certain articles have specified locations on their surfaces that are not bonded to the other piece. For example, the coating can be removed from these locations before bonding. Such locations can be useful as functional elements of various devices, such as valve seats in valves of microfluidic devices.

Claims

1. A method of making a device comprising:

a) providing a plastic substrate comprising a surface coated with a material comprising hydroxyl groups;

b) providing an elastic substrate comprising a surface that comprises surface silanol groups; and

c) reacting the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the plastic substrate with the silanol groups on the surface of the elastic substrate, wherein the plastic substrate is covalently bonded to the elastic substrate.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

d) providing a third substrate comprising a surface that comprises hydroxyl groups; and

e) reacting the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the third substrate with silanol groups on a second surface of the elastic substrate, wherein the third substrate is covalently bonded to the second surface of the elastic substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein reacting comprises contacting the surface of the plastic substrate with the surface of the elastic substrate and applying a pressure and/or temperature above ambient to the contacted surfaces.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic substrate comprises a carbon-based polymer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the elastic substrate comprises polysiloxane.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the material comprises an oxide.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the material comprises a siloxane.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the hydroxyl groups on the surface of the plastic substrate are introduced by exposing the material to UV ozone or oxygen plasma.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the plastic substrate comprises providing a plastic substrate and coating a surface of the plastic substrate with a material onto which hydroxyl groups can be introduced.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the silanol groups on the surface of the elastic substrate are introduced by exposing the material to UV ozone or oxygen plasma.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the plastic substrate comprises at least one conduit comprising an interruption and at least one of the selected locations comprises a surface of the interruption.

12. The method of claim 1 comprising introducing at least one recess into the surface of the plastic substrate by embossing, etching, abrasion or injection molding.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein selected locations on the surface of the plastic substrate are not bonded to the elastic substrate.

14. A device comprising a plastic substrate comprising (1) a surface coated with a material and (2) an elastic substrate comprising a surface, wherein the surfaces are bonded together through siloxy bonds.

15. A micro fluidic device comprising a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, wherein the fluidics layer and the actuation layer are covalently bonded to the elastic layer through siloxy bonds, and wherein the fluidics layer comprises a plurality of fluid conduits interrupted by valve seats which are not bonded to the elastic layer, and the actuation layer comprises at least one actuation conduit configured to transmit positive or negative pressure to the elastic layer opposite at least one valve seat;

and one or both of the fluidics layer and the actuation layer comprises a plastic substrate coated with a material covalently bonded to the elastic layer.

16. A system comprising:

a) a device of claim 15;

b) a source of positive and/or negative pressure in communication with the actuation conduits and

c) a control unit comprising logic to open and/or close valves is a programmed sequence.

17. A method comprising:

a) providing a device of claim 15;

b) providing a liquid in the fluidic conduit;

c) actuating the diaphragm valve using positive or negative pressure applied through actuation conduit; and

d) pumping the liquid through the diaphragm valve.

18. A method comprising:

a) providing a device of claim 15 wherein a fluidic conduit comprises, in series, (1) an inlet diaphragm valve, (2) a pumping diaphragm valve that comprises a valve body in the actuation layer into which the diaphragm can be deflected and optionally comprises a valve seat; and

(3) an outlet diaphragm valve;

wherein the three valves form a diaphragm pump;

b) providing a liquid in the fluidic conduit;

c) actuating the diaphragm valves using positive or negative pressure applied through actuation conduits to pump the liquid through the valve.

19. A method of making a device comprising:

a) providing a first plastic substrate comprising a surface coated with a material comprising hydroxyl groups;

b) providing a second plastic substrate comprising a surface coated with a material comprising hydroxyl groups; and

c) reacting the hydroxyl groups on the surfaces of the plastic substrate and the second plastic substrate, wherein the plastic substrates is covalently bonded through ether bonds.

20. An article comprising a first plastic layer comprising a surface coated with a material and second plastic layer comprising a surface coated with a material, wherein the first and second layers are covalently bonded together through ether bonds in the materials.

21. A method of making a device comprising:

a) providing a plastic layer comprising a surface coated with an adhesive, wherein the surface does not comprise adhesive at least one selected location;

b) providing an elastic layer comprising a surface; and

c) bonding the plastic layer to the elastic layer with the adhesive;

wherein the plastic layer is not bonded to the elastic layer at the at least one selected location.

22. A micro fluidic device comprising a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, wherein:

(a) the fluidics layer comprises a plurality of fluid conduits interrupted by valve seats, wherein the valve seats are configured as;

(b) the actuation layer comprises at least one actuation conduit configured to transmit positive or negative pressure to the elastic layer opposite at least one valve seat.

23. A device comprising at least one diaphragm valve configured to regulate fluid flow in a fluidic channel and comprised in a combination that comprises a fluidics layer, an actuation layer and an elastic layer sandwiched between the fluidics layer and the actuation layer, wherein each diaphragm valve comprises:

a) a diaphragm comprised in the elastic layer;

b) a valve seat comprised in the fluidics layer and recessed from a surface of the fluidics layer that contacts the elastic layer so that the diaphragm does not close the diaphragm valve unless positive pressure is exerted against the diaphragm; and

c) a valve inlet and a valve outlet comprised in the fluidics layer and in fluid communication with the fluidic channel;

and wherein the diaphragm is configured to be actuated by positive or negative pressure transmitted to the diaphragm through an actuation conduit in the actuation layer.