Microfluidic manifolds with high dynamic range in structural dimensions replicated in thermoplastic materials
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1191-OO02-01
Microfluidic manifolds with high dynamic range in structural dimensions replicated in thermoplastic materials Holger Becker1, Erik Beckert2, Claudia Gärtner1 1
microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Carl-Zeiss-Promenade 10, D-07745 Jena, Germany Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering, Albert-Einstein-Str. 7, D07745 Jena, Germany 2
ABSTRACT In this paper, we present the manufacturing process of a polymer microfluidic device which is currently being used to investigate wetting properties of nanostructured microchannels replicated in hydrophobic thermoplastic materials like cyclo-olefin co-polymer (COC), polypropylene (PP) or polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA). These devices feature large structural dynamics (feature sizes between 200 µm and 200 nm). The mold insert necessary was fabricated using a combination of precision machining with single-point diamond turning (SPDT). I TRODUCTIO Microfluidic components nowadays play a major role in ensuring the performance of many systems in analytical chemistry and the life sciences [1]. In many real-world applications, a set of requirements have to be met which differs significantly from properties reported in the literature by many academic groups. Amongst those requirements are: 1. A high dynamic range in structural dimensions. As an example, in a diagnostic cartridge for full blood analysis with external dimensions typically the size of a microscopy slide (75.5 × 25.5 mm), initial sample and reagent volumes are typically of the order of several µl (i.e. several mm3), requiring chambers with dimensions in the mm-range. The various liquids are then transported and manipulated in microchannels which are typically in the size range of tens to hundreds of micrometers. Specific structures (e.g. obstacles to support mixing, cell or bead capture, passive valves) and the general tolerances are often one order of magnitude smaller (e.g. 1-10 µm), while structures influencing the surface properties (e.g. wetting) are in the submicron range. A single microfluidic device will incorporate structures in all these size ranges in all three spatial dimensions which generally is not possible for manufacturing methods based on lithographic techniques. 2. To enable commercialization of such a microfluidic device, the manufacturing technology used has to be scalable in the sense that it allows the fabrication of devices from low to mass production volumes at reasonable cost (typically for an analytical or diagnostic test in the low single-digit dollar range) without a switch in the basic technology. 3. Material selection has to be compatible with both the manufacturing technologies and the application needs in addition to meeting the cost restraints indicated above. In order to fulfil these requirements, we have investigated the replication of microscopy slide sized micro- and nanostructured metallic mold inserts into thermoplastic materials like
PMMA, PP and COC using hot embossing and injection molding as manufacturing technologies. These replication technologies a
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