Fabrication of molds for PDMS microfluidic devices by laser swelling of PMMA

Author(s)

Joanni, Ednan ^[1] ; Peressinotto, Jonnas ^[1] ; Domingues, Patricia Silva ^{[2, 1]} ; Setti, Grazielle de Oliveira ^{[2, 1]} ; de Jesus, Dosil Pereira ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Ctr Tecnol Informacao Renato Archer CTI, BR-13069901 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas UNICAMP, Inst Quim, BR-13083970 Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: RSC ADVANCES; v. 5, n. 32, p. 25089-25096, 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

The volume increase experienced by Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), a common thermoplastic material, when subjected to a fast heating-cooling cycle by the action of an ultraviolet laser beam has been investigated in this work. The effects of laser power, focusing, writing speed, cooling and number of exposures on the dimensions of ridges formed by surface swelling were quantified. The biggest swellings, having near Gaussian cross-sectional shapes, were obtained by performing laser treatments with the polymer immersed in water. The laser swelling technique was applied to the fabrication of molds for microfluidic chips made from Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and the results of the study are discussed within this framework. The method allows the rapid fabrication of molds with a very smooth finish, providing dimensional accuracy appropriate for replication of complex PDMS microfluidic devices. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/22485-6 - Development and application of electromembrane extraction in capillary electrophoresis methods
• Grantee: Dosil Pereira de Jesus
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 13/25108-9 - Fabrication of nanostrucuted substrates for application in surface enhanced Raman Scattering
• Grantee: Grazielle de Oliveira Setti Gibin
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate