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Bonding of thermoplastic polymer microfluidics

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Abstract

Thermoplastics are highly attractive substrate materials for microfluidic systems, with important benefits in the development of low cost disposable devices for a host of bioanalytical applications. While significant research activity has been directed towards the formation of microfluidic components in a wide range of thermoplastics, sealing of these components is required for the formation of enclosed microchannels and other microfluidic elements, and thus bonding remains a critical step in any thermoplastic microfabrication process. Unlike silicon and glass, the diverse material properties of thermoplastics opens the door to an extensive array of substrate bonding options, together with a set of unique challenges which must be addressed to achieve optimal sealing results. In this paper we review the range of techniques developed for sealing thermoplastic microfluidics and discuss a number of practical issues surrounding these various bonding methods.

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  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Central University, Jhongli, 32001, Taiwan

    Chia-Wen Tsao

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA

    Don L. DeVoe

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Tsao, CW., DeVoe, D.L. Bonding of thermoplastic polymer microfluidics. Microfluid Nanofluid 6, 1–16 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-008-0361-x

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