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Ultrasonic fabrication of micro fluidic channels from polyether ether ketone (PEEK)

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Abstract

Micro channels from polyether ether ketone (PEEK), 1 mm in width and depth and 1.6 cm in length, have been fabricated by ultrasonic hot embossing and ultrasonic welding. Micro channels from PEEK enable constructing chemically inert microfluidic systems suitable for applications at temperatures of more than 200 °C. Besides this, a new design can be realized within one working day, investment costs are only a few 10,000 €, and the cycle time of fabricating a microfluidic system is a few seconds. Maximum temperature and pressure difference over a micro channel are not limited by the material properties of semicrystalline PEEK but by difficulties in producing them and by their change of morphology during manufacturing. To ultrasonically fabricate a microchannel two ultrasonic processes need to be combined. The channel itself is fabricated in a first ultrasonic hot embossing process and then sealed with a lid foil in a second ultrasonic welding step. This paper shows that, PEEK changes its morphology when it is ultrasonically hot embossed to produce a microfluidic channel. Moreover the degree of crystallinity varies according to the local position in the micro channel. It turned out that successful sealing of a micro channel by ultrasonic welding is facilitated by energy directors from semicrystalline PEEK. Therefore, semi-finished PEEK channels need being exposed to a temperature of at least 170 °C for 30 min before ultrasonic welding. This way, the amorphous PEEK is recrystallized resulting in hardened polymer micro structures. Such a heat treatment is also necessary after welding to achieve the desired stability at high temperatures. Tests show that the PEEK channels remain tight at a pressure difference of up to 700 kPa at a temperature of up to 220 °C.

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Acknowledgements

The results presented here were partly achieved with the support of Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft with the support code SCHO 850/14-1. The DSCs were carried out by the Institute of Textile Technology at RWTH Aachen University and Chair for Textile Machinery.

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  1. RWTH Aachen University, KEmikro, Steinbachstraße 53 B, Aachen, Germany

    J. Kosloh, J. Sackmann & W. K. Schomburg

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  1. J. Kosloh
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  2. J. Sackmann
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  3. W. K. Schomburg
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Correspondence to J. Kosloh.

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Kosloh, J., Sackmann, J. & Schomburg, W.K. Ultrasonic fabrication of micro fluidic channels from polyether ether ketone (PEEK). Microsyst Technol 23, 5505–5513 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-017-3284-1

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