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Development of reversible bonding for microfluidic applications

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Abstract

Reversible bonding that allows repeating assembly and disassembly of microfluidic devices is very useful for a number of applications such as surface functionalization, complex cell patterning, and other biological analysis. However, reversible microfluidic devices fabricated with the current standard procedures can only be used for low-pressure applications. In this paper, we describe and characterize a reliable, flexible, and reversible bonding technique of PDMS–PDMS (Poly-dimethyl siloxane) using an oxygen plasma treatment. Effects of control parameters, such as the thickness of the PDMS layer, the duration and power of the plasma treatment, the duration and temperature of the thermal treatment on the quality of the obtained devices are investigated. An optimal set of control parameters enabling the obtained devices to work at high flow rates and pressures (500 µL/min and 148 kPa) has been determined. Furthermore, the disassembly/assembly process of the device can be repeated up to four times.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the French RENATECH network and Vietnamese Overseas Scholarship Program (Project-322). The authors wish to thank technicians of the clean room of the ‘Centrale de Technologie Universitaire (MINERVE-CTU)’ for their valuable help during the experimental tests. A special thank is also given to their colleague Mehdi Ammar for the AFM measurements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IEF – CNRS UMR 8622, Université Paris Sud, 91405, Orsay, France

    T. H. N. Dinh, H. H. Cao, F. S. Hamdi, M. Couty, E. Martincic, M. Woytasik & E. Dufour-Gergam

  2. SATIE, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, CNRS, 94230, Cachan, France

    F. S. Hamdi

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  1. T. H. N. Dinh
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  2. H. H. Cao
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  3. F. S. Hamdi
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  4. M. Couty
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  5. E. Martincic
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  6. M. Woytasik
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  7. E. Dufour-Gergam
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Correspondence to T. H. N. Dinh.

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Dinh, T.H.N., Cao, H.H., Hamdi, F.S. et al. Development of reversible bonding for microfluidic applications. Microfluid Nanofluid 19, 751–756 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-015-1599-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-015-1599-8

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