Issue 11, 2008

On the role of oxygen in fabricating microfluidic channels with ultraviolet curable materials

Abstract

We present the effects of oxygen on the irreversible bonding of a microchannel using an ultraviolet (UV) curable material of polyurethane acrylate (PUA). Microchannels were fabricated by bonding a top layer with impressions of a microfluidic channel and a bottom layer consisting of a PUA coating on a glass or a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film substrate. The resulting channel is a homogeneous conduit of the PUA material. To find optimal bonding conditions, the bottom layer was cured under different oxygen concentration and UV exposure time at a constant UV intensity (10 mW cm−2). Our experimental and theoretical studies revealed that the channel bonding is severely affected by the concentration of oxygen either in the form of trapped air or permeated air out of the channel. In addition, an optimal UV exposure time is needed to prevent clogging or non-bonding of the channel.

Graphical abstract: On the role of oxygen in fabricating microfluidic channels with ultraviolet curable materials

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
18 Jun 2008
Accepted
01 Sep 2008
First published
11 Sep 2008

Lab Chip, 2008,8, 1787-1792

On the role of oxygen in fabricating microfluidic channels with ultraviolet curable materials

H. E. Jeong and K. Y. Suh, Lab Chip, 2008, 8, 1787 DOI: 10.1039/B810348H

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