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Fabrication of Refractive-index-matched Devices for Biomedical Microfluidics
Published on: September 10, 2018
Microfabricating high-aspect-ratio structures in polyurethane-methacrylate (PUMA) disposable microfluidic devices
Jason S Kuo1, Yongxi Zhao, Laiying Ng
1Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700, USA.
Lab on a Chip
|June 18, 2009
Summary
We improved the manufacturing of polyurethane-methacrylate (PUMA) microfluidic chips for diagnostics. These enhancements allow for dense, high-aspect-ratio features, enabling better cell and bead concentration devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Microfluidics
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Polyurethane-methacrylate (PUMA) resin is a promising material for disposable microfluidic devices in clinical diagnostics.
- Fabricating microfluidic chips with dense, high-aspect-ratio features presents challenges in production yield, particularly during demolding and bonding.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop strategies for enhancing the production yield of PUMA microfluidic chips.
- To overcome fabrication challenges associated with dense and high-aspect-ratio features in PUMA chips.
- To demonstrate the utility of improved PUMA chips in creating functional microdevices.
Main Methods:
- Investigated and implemented fabrication improvements for PUMA resin microfluidic chip production.
- Focused on optimizing demolding and bonding processes for complex chip geometries.
- Utilized improved fabrication techniques to produce a microfiltration device.
Main Results:
- Successfully developed strategies to improve the production yield of PUMA chips.
- Achieved fabrication of PUMA chips with dense and high-aspect-ratio features.
- Produced a microfiltration device with closely spaced, high-aspect-ratio columns.
Conclusions:
- Fabrication improvements enable higher production yields for complex PUMA microfluidic chips.
- The enhanced PUMA chips are suitable for creating advanced microdevices like cell concentrators.
- Improved PUMA microfluidic devices offer potential for improved clinical diagnostic applications.
