Polymer surface modification
AssigneeFluidigm Corporation
InventorsJiang Huang, Shoujun Xiao, Marc A. Unger
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to a surface modified polymer comprising a surface which is covalently bonded to a surface modifying compound. Formation of the covalent bond between the polymer and the surface modifying compound is achieved by a reaction between an intrinsic functional group that is present in the polymer and the functional group of the surface modifying compound. By using a polymer having an intrinsic functional group, a separate surface activation step is avoided.
Claims43
A surface modified polymer comprising:
- a bulk polymer matrix comprising a reactive functional group dispersed therein;
- and
- a polymeric surface which comprise a surface modifying compound that is covalently bonded to the reactive functional group.
A polymeric article comprising:
- an exterior surface;
- a bulk polymer matrix comprising a reactive functional group dispersed therein;
- and
- a channel extending from the exterior surface through the bulk polymer matrix, wherein the channel defines an inner surface,
- wherein the exterior and inner surfaces comprise a surface modifying compound that is covalently bonded to the reactive functional group.
A method for modifying a physical property of a polymer surface comprising:
- (a) forming a bulk polymer matrix having a reactive functional group dispersed therein;
- and
- (b) producing a surface modified polymer by contacting a surface of the polymer with a surface modifying compound comprising a complementary functional group under conditions sufficient to form a covalent bond between the reactive functional group that is present on the polymer surface and the complementary functional group of the surface modifying compound.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- (a) a bulk polymer matrix comprising a reactive functional group dispersed therein;
- (b) a flow channel within said bulk polymer matrix, wherein said flow channel defines an inner surface;
- and
- (c) a surface modifying compound covalently attached to the reactive functional group that is present on the inner surface.
A method for producing a microfluidic device comprising a bulk polymer matrix, a flow channel within said bulk polymer matrix, wherein the flow channel defines an inner surface, and a surface modifying compound covalently attached to the inner surface, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) producing the microfluidic device from a polymer precursor under conditions sufficient to produce the bulk polymer matrix comprising a reactive functional group dispersed within the inner surface, and
- (b) contacting the inner surface with a surface modifying compound under conditions sufficient to covalently attach the surface modifying compound to the inner surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.