Fast Fabrication Process of Microfluidic Devices Based on Cyclic Olefin Copolymer

A new low-cost process for fast fabrication of multilayer microfluidic devices using cyclic olefin copolymer film materials is presented. This novel process consists of the fabrication of microfluidic features by xurography, followed by multilayer lamination via cyclohexane vapor exposure. Exposure time to this solvent and compression time were optimized for bond tensile strength. A three-layer microfluidic chip capable of withstanding back pressures up to 23MPa was fabricated in less than an hour. The suitability of this fast prototyping method for fabrication of functional UV-transparent microfluidic devices was demonstrated by development and testing of a microfluidic mixer and preparation of a polymer monolithic column within the microfluidic channel.