Characterization of poly(isobornyl acrylate) as a construction material for microfluidic applications

Abstract

AbstractIsobornyl acrylate (IBA) is a photopolymerizable monomer that is employed in microfluidic devices because of desirable properties, such as inertness, transparency, and resolution. However, some of the mechanical properties of poly(isobornyl acrylate) are greatly affected by subtle changes in the manufacturing techniques. In this study, the parameters of exposure time, UV intensity, and aging are varied to study their effect on the material properties of thin samples of isobornyl acrylate construction material (<0.25 mm). Mechanical testing was used to obtain properties, such as elasticity, maximum strength, and maximum strain. It was observed that when using high levels of both exposure time and intensity, the polymers strength was increased. Lowering one of these two parameters immediately reduced the construction materials strength. It was also noted that aging weakens the material in as little as 1 day. In addition, an anisotropic response that produces curling in samples has been studied. It showed to have a negligible effect on the mechanical properties of the material; however it may have a major effect on device quality and shelf‐life. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007