Thaweeskulchai Thana, Schulte Albert
School of Biomolecular Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology (VISTEC), Wang Chan Valley, Rayong 21210, Thailand.
Micromachines (Basel). 2023 Jan 27;14(2):324. doi: 10.3390/mi14020324.
For normal operations, microfluidic devices typically require an external source of pressure to deliver fluid flow through the microchannel. This requirement limits their use for benchtop research activities in a controlled static environment. To exploit the full potential of the miniaturization and portability of microfluidic platforms, passively driven capillary microfluidic devices have been developed to completely remove the need for an external pressure source. Capillary microfluidics can be designed to perform complex tasks by designing individual components of the device. These components, such as the stop valve and trigger valve, operate through changes in microchannel dimensions and aspect ratios. A direct, maskless fabrication protocol that allows the precise fabrication of microchannels and other microfluidic components is introduced here. A diode laser and polyimide tape on a PMMA substrate are the only components needed to start fabrication. By varying the laser power used and the number of laser repetitions, various depths and widths of the microchannel can be quickly created to meet specific needs. As an example of a functional unit, a trigger valve was fabricated and tested, as proof of the validity of the fabrication protocol.
对于正常运行，微流控设备通常需要外部压力源来驱动流体在微通道中流动。这一要求限制了它们在可控静态环境中的台式研究活动中的应用。为了充分发挥微流控平台小型化和便携性的潜力，已经开发出被动驱动的毛细管微流控设备，以完全消除对外部压力源的需求。通过设计设备的各个组件，毛细管微流控可以被设计用来执行复杂任务。这些组件，如截止阀和触发阀，通过微通道尺寸和纵横比的变化来运行。本文介绍了一种直接的、无掩膜制造方案，该方案允许精确制造微通道和其他微流控组件。在PMMA基板上的二极管激光器和聚酰亚胺胶带是开始制造所需的唯一组件。通过改变所使用的激光功率和激光重复次数，可以快速创建各种深度和宽度的微通道，以满足特定需求。作为一个功能单元的示例，制造并测试了一个触发阀，以证明制造方案的有效性。
