title: Simple approaches to close the open structure of microfluidic chips and connecting them to the macro-world.
abstract: Microchip electrophoresis has a great potential to improve the speed and throughput of chemical and biochemical analyses. Conventional electrophoresis microchip fabrication methods comprise the main steps of channel formation, cover plate binding and access hole construction. While the fabrication of appropriate cover plates and their bonding process are quite essential to the creation of closed microfluidic networks, connection means of microchips to the macro-world is one of the most important parts of microchip fabrication. In this paper the most commonly used approaches are discussed for cover plate connector fabrication in conjunction with high and low temperature glue-less binding processes. The microchannels in the glass substrate were fabricated by sawing and powder blasting under regular laboratory settings, i.e., not necessitating the use of a clean-room environment, making in this way broader availability for electrophoresis microchip technology.
authors.affiliation: Horváth Laboratory of Bioseparation Sciences, Institute of Analytical Chemistry & Radiochemistry, University of Innsbruck, Innrain 66, Innsbruck, A-6020, Austria.
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Székely
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guttman
mesh_terms: D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results