Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer
Laser engraving has considerable potential for the rapid and cost effective manufacturing of polymeric microfluidic devices. However, fabricated devices are hindered by relatively large surface roughness in the engraved areas, which can perturb smooth fluidic flow and can damage sensitive biological...
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| Format: | Article |
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Institute of Physics Publishing (IOP)
2017
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| _version_ | 1796861517978664960 |
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| author | Mazher, Mohammed I. Zainal Alam, Muhd. Nazrul Hisham Kouzani, Abbas Gibson, Ian |
| author_facet | Mazher, Mohammed I. Zainal Alam, Muhd. Nazrul Hisham Kouzani, Abbas Gibson, Ian |
| author_sort | Mazher, Mohammed I. |
| collection | ePrints |
| description | Laser engraving has considerable potential for the rapid and cost effective manufacturing of polymeric microfluidic devices. However, fabricated devices are hindered by relatively large surface roughness in the engraved areas, which can perturb smooth fluidic flow and can damage sensitive biological components. This effect is exacerbated when engraving at depths beyond the laser focal range, limiting the production of large aspect ratio devices such as microbioreactors. This work aims to overcome such manufacturing limitations and to realise more reproducible and defect free microfluidic channels and structures. We present a strategy of multiple engraving passes alongside solvent polymer reflow for shallow depth (< 500 mu m) and a layer cutting with laminate bonding for larger depth (> 500 mu m) features. To examine the proposed methodologies, capillary action and bioreactor microfluidic devices were fabricated and evaluated. Results indicate that the multiple engraving technique could reproduce engraved microfluidic channels to depths between 50-470 mu m, both rapidly (6-8 min) and with low average surface roughness (1.5-2.5 mu m). The layer cutting approach was effective at manufacturing microfluidic devices with depths < 500 mu m, rapidly (< 1 min) and with low surface roughness. Ultimately, the proposed methodology is highly beneficial for the rapid development of polymer-based microfluidic devices. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-05T19:57:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | utm.eprints-66485 |
| institution | Universiti Teknologi Malaysia - ePrints |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-05T19:57:37Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Institute of Physics Publishing (IOP) |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | utm.eprints-664852017-10-03T13:19:25Z http://eprints.utm.my/66485/ Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer Mazher, Mohammed I. Zainal Alam, Muhd. Nazrul Hisham Kouzani, Abbas Gibson, Ian TP Chemical technology Laser engraving has considerable potential for the rapid and cost effective manufacturing of polymeric microfluidic devices. However, fabricated devices are hindered by relatively large surface roughness in the engraved areas, which can perturb smooth fluidic flow and can damage sensitive biological components. This effect is exacerbated when engraving at depths beyond the laser focal range, limiting the production of large aspect ratio devices such as microbioreactors. This work aims to overcome such manufacturing limitations and to realise more reproducible and defect free microfluidic channels and structures. We present a strategy of multiple engraving passes alongside solvent polymer reflow for shallow depth (< 500 mu m) and a layer cutting with laminate bonding for larger depth (> 500 mu m) features. To examine the proposed methodologies, capillary action and bioreactor microfluidic devices were fabricated and evaluated. Results indicate that the multiple engraving technique could reproduce engraved microfluidic channels to depths between 50-470 mu m, both rapidly (6-8 min) and with low average surface roughness (1.5-2.5 mu m). The layer cutting approach was effective at manufacturing microfluidic devices with depths < 500 mu m, rapidly (< 1 min) and with low surface roughness. Ultimately, the proposed methodology is highly beneficial for the rapid development of polymer-based microfluidic devices. Institute of Physics Publishing (IOP) 2017-01-01 Article PeerReviewed Mazher, Mohammed I. and Zainal Alam, Muhd. Nazrul Hisham and Kouzani, Abbas and Gibson, Ian (2017) Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 27 (1). 015021-015021. ISSN 0960-1317 http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0960-1317/27/1/015021 DOI:10.1088/0960-1317/27/1/015021 |
| spellingShingle | TP Chemical technology Mazher, Mohammed I. Zainal Alam, Muhd. Nazrul Hisham Kouzani, Abbas Gibson, Ian Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title | Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title_full | Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title_fullStr | Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title_short | Fabrication of microfluidic devices: improvement of surface quality of CO2 laser machined poly(methylmethacrylate) polymer |
| title_sort | fabrication of microfluidic devices improvement of surface quality of co2 laser machined poly methylmethacrylate polymer |
| topic | TP Chemical technology |
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