title: Low-temperature, simple and fast integration technique of microfluidic chips by using a UV-curable adhesive.
abstract: In the fields of MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS) and Lab On a Chip (LOC), a device is often fabricated using diverse substrates which are processed separately and finally assembled together using a bonding process to yield the final device. Here we describe and demonstrate a novel straightforward, rapid and low-temperature bonding technique for the assembly of complete microfluidic devices, at the chip level, by employing an intermediate layer of gluing material. This technique is applicable to a great variety of materials (e.g., glass, SU-8, parylene, UV-curable adhesive) as demonstrated here when using NOA 81 as gluing material. Bonding is firstly characterized in terms of homogeneity and thickness of the gluing layer. Following this, we verified the resistance of the adhesive layer to various organic solvents, acids, bases and conventional buffers. Finally, the assembled devices are successfully utilized for fluidic experiments.
authors.affiliation: BIOS, The Lab-on-a-Chip Group, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Twente, Postbus 217, 7500 AE, Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Rerngchai
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arayanarakool
authors.forename: Séverine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Le Gac
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van den Berg
mesh_terms: D000269:Adhesives / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000528:radiation effects; D003080:Cold Temperature; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005898:Glass / Q000737:chemistry; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013499:Surface Properties; D013696:Temperature; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D000269:Adhesives