# US 11,305,277 B2 · Micro-structured mold-core of microfluidic chip and its manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,305,277 B2 - Document ID: US11305277B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/634,100 - Filed: 2018-12-10 - Published: 2021-09-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-12-10 - Assignees: Shenzhen University - Applicants: Shenzhen University - Inventors: Yanjun Lu; Fumin Chen; Xiaoyu Wu; Chaolan Zhou; Qiyang Peng; Jiatao Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11305277B2 ## CPC - B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components} - B01L 3/502715: {characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces} - B29C 33/3842: {Manufacturing moulds, e.g. shaping the mould surface by machining} - B29C 45/26: Moulds - B29C 45/37: Mould cavity walls {, i.e. the inner surface forming the mould cavity, e.g. linings} - B01L 2200/12: Specific details about manufacturing devices - B01L 2300/0883: Serpentine channels - B29C 2045/0094: {injection moulding of small-sized articles, e.g. microarticles, ultra thin articles} - B29L 2031/756: {Microarticles, nanoarticles} - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A micro-structured mold-core of a microfluidic chip and its manufacturing method, which includes the steps of: installing a mold-core on a worktable of a five-axis machining center, and installing a micro-milling cutter and a fine milling-grinding tool on a tool holder of the five-axis machining center; rough-milling a surface of the mold-core using the micro-milling cutter according to a preset first machining track, to form a micro-projection array structure with a specific shape; finishing a surface of the micro-projection array structure formed by rough-milling using the fine milling-grinding tool according to a preset second machining track, to form a desired micro-projection array structure; and installing the mold-core on an injection molding machine, and adding particle material of polymer for micro injection molding to form a microfluidic chip, or installing the mold-core on a hot-embossing machine, and adding block material of polymer for hot embossing to form a microfluidic chip. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip, comprising the following steps: installing a mold-core on a worktable of a five-axis machining center, and installing a micro-milling cutter and a fine milling-grinding tool on a tool holder of the five-axis machining center; rough-milling a surface of the mold-core using the micro-milling cutter according to a preset first machining track, to form a micro convex array structure with a specific shape; finishing a surface of the micro convex array structure formed by rough-milling using the fine milling-grinding tool according to a preset second machining track, to form a desired micro convex array structure, and wherein the size of the micro convex array structure formed by rough-milling is larger than the size of which formed by finishing; and installing the mold-core on an injection molding machine, and adding particle material of polymer for micro injection molding to form a microfluidic chip, and a surface of the microfluidic chip has a micro-grooved array structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, wherein a spindle speed of the five-axis machining center is in a range from 5000 to 20,000 rpm, and a feed depth of the micro-milling cutter is in a range from 0.1 to 50 micrometers, and a feed speed of the micro-milling cutter is in a range from 10 to 1000 mm/min. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, wherein the micro-grooved array structure comprises a plurality of micro-channels connected in sequence, and a groove depth of each micro-channel is in a range from 10 to 800 microns. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 3, wherein each of the micro-channels comprises a first channel, a second channel and a transition channel connected between the first channel and the second channel, and a trench interval between the first channel and the second channel ranges from 10 to 500 microns. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, wherein the material of the mold-core comprises ceramic, diamond, die steel or hard alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 1, wherein the material of the microfluidic chip comprises one of polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polydimethylsiloxane, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene or polycarbonate, or a mixture of two or more. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 4, wherein the first channel, the second channel and the transition channel each comprises: a first side surface; a second side surface disposed opposite to the first side surface; and a bottom surface, both ends of which are respectively connected to the first side surface and the second side surface; the first side surface, the bottom surface and the second side surface together form a V-shape, a U-shape or a rectangle. ### Claim 8 A manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip, comprising the following steps: installing a mold-core on a worktable of a five-axis machining center, and installing a micro-milling cutter and a fine milling-grinding tool on a tool holder of the five-axis machining center; rough-milling a surface of the mold-core using the micro-milling cutter according to a preset first machining track to form a micro convex array structure with a specific shape; finishing a surface of the micro convex array structure formed by rough-milling using the fine milling-grinding tool according to a preset second machining track to form a desired micro convex array structure, and wherein the size of the micro convex array structure formed by rough-milling is larger than the size of which formed by finishing; and installing the mold-core on a hot-embossing machine, and adding block material of polymer for hot embossing to form a microfluidic chip, and a surface of the microfluidic chip has a micro-grooved array structure. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 8, wherein a spindle speed of the five-axis machining center is in a range from 5000 to 20,000 rpm, and a feed depth of the micro-milling cutter is in a range from 0.1 to 50 micrometers, and a feed speed of the micro-milling cutter is in a range from 10 to 1000 mm/min. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 8, wherein the micro-grooved array structure comprises a plurality of micro-channels connected in sequence, and a groove depth of each micro-channel is in a range from 10 to 800 microns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 10, wherein each of the micro-channels comprises a first channel, a second channel and a transition channel connected between the first channel and the second channel, and a trench interval between the first channel and the second channel ranges from 10 to 500 microns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 8, wherein the material of the mold-core comprises ceramic, diamond, die steel or hard alloy. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 8, wherein the material of the microfluidic chip comprises one of polyamide, polyethylene terephthalate, polydimethylsiloxane, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene or polycarbonate, or a mixture of two or more. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The manufacturing method of a microfluidic chip according to claim 11, wherein the first channel, the second channel and the transition channel each comprises: a first side surface; a second side surface disposed opposite to the first side surface; and a bottom surface, both ends of which are respectively connected to the first side surface and the second side surface; the first side surface, the bottom surface and the second side surface together form a V-shape, a U-shape or a rectangle. ### Claim 15 A micro-structured mold-core of a microfluidic chip with a mold-core body, wherein, a micro convex array structure being disposed on a surface of the mold-core body, wherein the micro convex array structure is formed by rough-milling the surface of the mold-core body with a micro-milling cutter to form a micro convex array structure with a specific shape, and finishing the surface of the micro convex array structure formed by rough-milling using a fine milling-grinding tool, wherein the micro convex array structure comprises a plurality of micro convexities connected in sequence, and each of the micro convexities comprises a first connection section, a second connection section and a transition section connected between the first connection section and the second connection section. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The micro-structured mold-core of a microfluidic chip according to claim 15, wherein the first connection section is a straight section, the second connection section is a straight section, and the transition section is an arc-shaped or a straight section. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The micro-structured mold-core of a microfluidic chip according to claim 15, wherein the heights of the first connection section, the second connection section and the transition section each of which is in a range from 10 to 800 microns, and the widths of the first connection section, the second connection section and the transition section each of which is in a range from 10 to 500 microns, and an interval distance between the first connection section and the second connection section is in a range from 10 to 500 microns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The micro-structured mold-core of a microfluidic chip according to claim 15, wherein the first connection section, the second connection section and the transition section each comprises: a third side surface, a fourth side surface opposite to the third side surface; and a top surface, two ends of which are respectively connected to the third side surface and the fourth side surface; the third side surface, the top surface and the fourth side surface together form a V shape, a U shaped or a rectangle.