Microfluidic chip, microfluidic device, associated uses and methods

A method for the fabrication of a microfluidic chip of the type that comprises:

• a deformable sealing layer, wherein said layer comprises a flexible, elastic, and insulating material;
• a structure formed by an arrangement of micro-structured layers comprising a thermoplastic material, wherein said structure comprises:
• one or several micro-chambers;
• one or several microfluidic channels for the circulation of fluid to and from the micro-chambers, and;
• one or several fluidic inlets and outlets;
• and a base substrate on which the structure of the micro-structured thermoplastic layers is arranged;
• said method characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
• a) applying a plasma cleaning treatment to the structure of micro-structured thermoplastic layers and to the deformable sealing layer;
• b) after step a), applying (3-Aminopropyl triethoxysilane) (APTES) to the structure of micro-structured thermoplastic layers and to the deformable sealing layer, wherein APTES comprises amine (—NH2) and hydroxyl (—OH) free radicals;
• c) after step b), arranging the deformable sealing layer on the structure of micro-structured thermoplastic layers;
• d) after step c), applying a sealing temperature between 70 and 100° C. and a sealing pressure between 0.1 and 5 bar to the micro-structured thermoplastic layers and the deformable sealing layer for a sealing time between 5 and 45 minutes to seal said micro-structured thermoplastic layers to the deformable layer.