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US 9,435,490 B2Granted
Semipermanently closed microfluidic valve
AssigneeNational Research Council of Canada
InventorsJean-Christophe Galas, Emmanuel Roy, Teodor Veres
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A microfluidic valve operable to semi-permanently close a channel of a microfluidic device defined between a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film and a substrate operates employs a surface contact bond between the TPE and a wall of the channel. Thermomechanical release of the valve, tristate functionality, and repeated semi-permanent closure and release are demonstrated.
Claims20
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film having first and second opposite surfaces;
- a substrate forming a seal with the first surface around a periphery of a channel defined between the substrate and TPE film;
- and
- a part of the TPE film defining a membrane having a first side defining part of the channel, and a second side mechanically actuable to close the channel,
- wherein compositions of the TPE film and the substrate are chosen so that their respective Hildebrandt parameters differ by less than 10 (J/cm3)1/2to permit the membrane to be contact bonded to a channel wall if subjected to a first temperature and pressure regime, to semipermanently retain the channel closed under no persistent force on the second side of the membrane, until re-opened by heating or a thermomechanical stimulus without any layer of adhesive between the TPE film and substrate.
2 more elements
:
- A method for semipermanently closing a channel in a microfluidic device, the channel defined at an interface between a substrate and a TPE film, the TPE film chosen so that their respective Hildebrandt parameters differ by less than 10 (J/cm3)1/2to provide surface bonding to itself and the substrate without any layer of adhesive between the interface, the method comprising:
- applying pressure to a wall of the TPE film adjacent to the channel to deflect the wall of the TPE film closing the channel, and maintaining this pressure for a prescribed duration, until the surface bond is formed to semipermanently close the channel.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) film having first and second opposite surfaces;
- a substrate forming a seal with the first surface around a periphery of a channel defined between the substrate and TPE film;
- a part of the TPE film defining a membrane having a first side defining part of the channel, and a second side mechanically actuable to close the channel;
- and
- a pressurized flow control channel for selectively closing the channel, the pressurized flow control channel being separated from the channel only by the membrane,
- wherein compositions of the TPE film and the substrate are chosen to permit the membrane to be contact bonded to a channel wall if subjected to a first temperature and pressure regime, to semipermanently retain the channel closed under no persistent force on the second side of the membrane, until re-opened by heating or a thermomechanical stimulus.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.