Microfluidic Devices and Methods of Fabrication
AssigneeUniversity of Maryland, College Park
InventorsJohn T. Fourkas, Christopher N. LaFratta
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Abstract
The present invention relates to microfluidic devices that comprise a 3-D microfluidic network of microchannels of arbitrary complexity and to a method for fabricating such devices. In particular, the invention relates to a method of forming microfluidic devices having 3-D microfluidic networks that contain open or closed loop microchannels using a single-step molding process without the need for layer-by-layer fabrication, and to the resultant microfluidic devices. The networks of such microfluidic devices may comprise one or more microchannel circuits which may be discrete or interconnected.
Claims8
A method of fabricating a microfluidic device comprising a 3-dimensional microfluidic network, said network comprising a closed, hollow microchannel, wherein said method comprises the steps of:
- (A) opening a sealable casting of a mold of said microfluidic device, said device comprising a closed loop microstructure having the shape of said desired microfluidic network;
- said casting comprising a 3-dimensional structure comprising an internal cavity that conforms to the shape of said mold;
- (B) removing said mold from said casting;
- and
- (C) sealing said casting to thereby convert said cavity into said desired microfluidic device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.