title: A toner-mediated lithographic technology for rapid prototyping of glass microchannels.
abstract: A simple, fast, and inexpensive masking technology without any photolithographic step to produce glass microchannels is proposed in this work. This innovative process is based on the use of toner layers as mask for wet chemical etching. The layouts were projected in graphic software and printed on wax paper using a laser printer. The toner layer was thermally transferred from the paper to cleaned glass surfaces (microscope slides) at 130 degrees C for 2 min. After thermal transference, the glass channel was etched using 25% (v/v) hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution. The toner mask was then removed by cotton soaked in acetonitrile. The etching rate was approximately 7.1 +/- 0.6 microm min(-1). This process is economically more attractive than conventional methods because it does not require any sophisticated instrumentation and it can be implemented in any chemical/biochemical laboratory. The glass channel was thermally bonded against a flat glass cover and its analytical feasibility was investigated using capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (C(4)D) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) detection.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Trabalhador SãoCarlense 400, P.O. Box 780, 13566-590, São Carlos-SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wendell Karlos Tomazelli
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Coltro
authors.forename: Evandro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piccin
authors.forename: José Alberto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fracassi da Silva
authors.forename: Claudimir
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lucio do Lago
authors.forename: Emanuel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carrilho
mesh_terms: D000097:Acetonitriles / Q000737:chemistry; D046209:Electrophoresis, Microchip / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005898:Glass; D003368:Gossypium / Q000378:metabolism; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid / Q000737:chemistry; D008420:Manufactured Materials; D008832:Microchemistry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D044085:Microfluidics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008904:Miniaturization; D010969:Plastics; D011791:Quartz / Q000737:chemistry; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000097:Acetonitriles; D010969:Plastics; D011791:Quartz; D006858:Hydrofluoric Acid; C032159:acetonitrile; D012825:Silicon