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Surface modification of polymer microfluidic devices using in‐channel atom transfer radical polymerization
Author(s) -
Sun Xuefei,
Liu Jikun,
Lee Milton L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.200800005
Subject(s) - atom transfer radical polymerization , microchannel , glycidyl methacrylate , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , polymer , materials science , monomer , polymerization , microfluidics , chemical engineering , surface modification , polymer chemistry , methacrylate , adsorption , peg ratio , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , composite material , finance , engineering , economics
Abstract In‐channel atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was used to graft a PEG layer on the surface of microchannels formed in poly(glycidyl methacrylate)‐ co ‐(methyl methacrylate) (PGMAMMA) microfluidic devices. The patterned and cover plates were first anchored with ATRP initiator and then thermally bonded together, followed by pumping a solution containing monomer, catalyst, and ligand into the channel to perform ATRP. A PEG‐functionalized layer was grafted on the microchannel wall, which resists protein adsorption. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to investigate the initiator‐bound surface, and EOF was measured to evaluate the PEG‐grafted PGMAMMA microchannel. Fast, efficient, and reproducible separations of amino acids, peptides, and proteins were obtained using the resultant microdevices. Separation efficiencies were higher than 1.0×10 4 plates for a 3.5 cm separation microchannel. Compared with microdevices modified using a previously reported ATRP technique, these in‐channel modified microdevices demonstrated better long‐term stability.