title: Use of vacuum bagging for fabricating thermoplastic microfluidic devices.
abstract: In this work we present a novel thermal bonding method for thermoplastic microfluidic devices. This simple method employs a modified vacuum bagging technique, a concept borrowed from the aerospace industry, to produce conventional thick substrate microfluidic devices, as well as multi-layer film devices. The bonds produced using this method are superior to those obtained using conventional thermal bonding methods, including thermal lamination, and are capable of sustaining burst pressures in excess of 550 kPa. To illustrate the utility of this method, thick substrate devices were produced, as well as a six-layer film device that incorporated several complex features.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Microsystems Group, Dept. of Mech. & Aerospace Eng., Univ. of Florida, P.O. Box 116250, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. hfan@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cassano
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fredrickson
authors.forename: Z Hugh
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D003516:Cycloparaffins; D004867:Equipment Design; D006358:Hot Temperature; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010969:Plastics; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D003516:Cycloparaffins; D010969:Plastics; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate