Sealing And Lamination Of Microfluidic Devices

A difficult problem facing microfluidic manufacturing of devices remains that often material requirements force device designers to choose materials that are difficult to bond, seal or enclose. Examples of these materials include the Polyolefin family such as HDPE (High Density Polyethylene), PP (Polypropylene) or high performance polymers such as PEEK (Polyetheretherketone), Acetal or Polyimide. The problem arises from the chemical resistance of the materials making them ideal for processing corrosive chemicals but the same property reduces the effectiveness of laminates, surface bonding, surface coatings and solvents.
To address this problem a methodology for sealing devices made of these materials is explored and results related to laminating similar substrates is presented. This is followed by suggestions for further study and potential improvements.