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Direct Photopolymerisation of PEG‐Methacrylate Oligomers for an Easy Prototyping of Microfluidic Structures
Author(s) -
Turri S.,
Levi M.,
Emilitri E.,
Suriano R.,
Bongiovanni R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200900489
Subject(s) - materials science , microfluidics , photomask , contact angle , fabrication , peg ratio , wetting , polymer , methacrylate , biocompatibility , ethylene glycol , viscoelasticity , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , composite material , copolymer , resist , medicine , alternative medicine , finance , layer (electronics) , pathology , engineering , economics , metallurgy
A photocurable polymer mixture made of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) dimethacrylate and monomethacrylate is proposed as structural material for the fabrication and easy prototyping of the microfluidics for Lab‐on‐Chip (LOC) devices. The kinetics of photopolymerisation and some material properties such as its viscoelastic behaviour (by dynamic‐mechanical analysis) and surface wettability (by contact angle) were studied. The PCR biocompatibility of the PEG crosslinked material was favourably assessed by preliminary in vitro tests. A direct fabrication method of controlled geometry microchannels is finally presented by direct photopolymerisation under UV light irradiation through photomasks without the need of a master. Finally the same process was successfully used to assembly and seal the microchannels.