Rapid and low-cost hot-embossing of polycaprolactone microfluidic devices. (9th January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fan, Yiqiang; Liu, Shicheng; He, Jianyun; Gao, Kexin; Zhang, Yajun
• Is Part Of: Materials research express. Volume 5:Number 1(2018)
• Publication Date: 2018-01-09
• Subjects: polycaprolactone -- microfluidics -- hot-embossing; Materials science -- Research -- Periodicals; Materials science -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1088/2053-1591/aaa3bc
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2053-1591

Abstract

Abstract: Polycaprolactone (PCL) is a low-cost biocompatible and biodegradable material which is highly suitable for the short-live applications like microfluidics in the biological and medical field. In this study, a rapid and low-cost microfabrication technique for PCL-based microfluidic devices is proposed, the SU-8 mold fabricated on the silicon substrate was used for the hot-embossing of microstructures on PCL. Since PCL after the molding process is optically non-transparent, to improve the visibility of the fluid in the microfluidic device and enclosing the microchannel, a transparency adhesive film which originally used for the sealing of PCR well-plate is used for the sealing of the microchannels embossed on PCL substrate. The profile of the fabricated microchannels was carefully characterized, the bonding strength is tested and several PCL-based microfluidic devices were also fabricated and tested for demonstration.