Abstract
Microfluidic devices have been used progressively in biomedical research due to the advantages they offer, such as relatively low-cost, rapid and precise processing, and an ability to support highly automated analyses. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) are both biocompatible materials widely used in microfluidics due to their desirable characteristics. It is recognized that combining these two particular materials in a single microfluidic device would enable the development of an increasingly in-demand array of new applications, including those requiring high flow rates and elevated pressures. Whereas complicated and time-consuming efforts have been reported for bonding these two materials, the robust adhesion of PDMS and PMMA has not yet been accomplished, and remains a challenge. In this study, a new, simple, efficient, and low-cost method has been developed to mediate a strong bond between PMMA and PDMS layers at room temperature in less than 5 min using biocompatible adhesive tape and oxygen plasma treatment. The PDMS–PMMA bond was hydrolytically stable, and could tolerate a high influx of fluid without any leakage. This study addresses the limitations of existing approaches to bond these materials, and will enable the development of highly sought high-pressure and high-throughput biomedical applications.
Highlights
Microfluidic devices have been used progressively in biomedical research due to the advantages they offer, such as relatively low-cost, rapid and precise processing, and an ability to support highly automated analyses
The results showed that the acrylic-based Pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) and PMMA were mainly composed of carbon (C) and oxygen (O), confirming their acrylic-rich nature, whereas the presence of silicon (Si) peaks from the PDMS and silicon-based PSA samples confirmed that they were silicon-rich
The results consistently showed strong adhesion between PSA and PMMA regardless of plasma treatment, with no residue observed when they were separated during the delamination test
Summary
Microfluidic devices have been used progressively in biomedical research due to the advantages they offer, such as relatively low-cost, rapid and precise processing, and an ability to support highly automated analyses. A new, simple, efficient, and low-cost method has been developed to mediate a strong bond between PMMA and PDMS layers at room temperature in less than 5 min using biocompatible adhesive tape and oxygen plasma treatment. The materials used to initially manufacture microfluidic devices were silicon and g lass[5] Whereas these both still find use in electrophoretic and solvent-based applications, advances in microdevice fabrication technologies have enabled a much wider range of materials to be u sed[6]. Polymers, due to their simple and low-cost advantages, have become viable alternatives to silicon and glass for fabrication of these s ystems[7,8]. Chemical modification of PMMA with APTES, followed by oxygen plasma treatment of PMMA and PDMS layers
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