Methods for Polymer Microfluidic Fabrication

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Methods for Polymer Microfluidic Fabrication

• David Ross, Physicist
• NIST
• Gaithersburg, MD

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Technology Summary

• Polymers for microfluidics
• Single-use, disposable
• Point-of-care diagnostics
• Forensics
• In microfluidics, the surface is everything
• Sample adsorption
• Wetting
• Fluid flow
• Problem Polymer surfaces not well controlled

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Technology Description

• Our technologies tools for microfluidic polymer
  fabrication
• General-use surface coatings
• One step channel fabrication and surface
  modification
• Laser modification of preformed microchannels

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Conventional Plastic Fabrication
apply pressure
heater
plastic substrate
template
heater
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Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Coatings (PEMS)

• Alternating layers of charged polymers
• Easy, inexpensive
• Insensitive to substrate material

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What is Photoablation?
Pulsed UV Laser
Focusing optics
microchannel
plastic
programmable motion stage
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Photomodification of preformed microchannel
Pulsed UV Laser
Focusing optics
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Photomodification for microarrays within channels
Protein microarrays within microchannel
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Photopatterning for flow control
UV Laser
Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic Valve
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Current Status

• Technical Challenge Scale-up
• Intellectual property 3 Patents issued (U.S.
  6,703,189, 6,860,980, 6,982,028)
• Ready for Licensing
• Competitors / substitutes
• Covalent chemical modification

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Contact

• For more information
• David Ross
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• 301-975-2525
• david.ross_at_nist.gov
• Laurie Locascio
• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• 301-975-3130
• laurie.locascio_at_nist.gov