Development of microneedles for unskilled and painless collection of blood or drug delivery addresses the quality of healthcare through early intervention at point-of-care.Microneedles with submicron to millimeter fea...Development of microneedles for unskilled and painless collection of blood or drug delivery addresses the quality of healthcare through early intervention at point-of-care.Microneedles with submicron to millimeter features have been fabricated from materials such as metals,silicon,and polymers by subtractive machining or etching.However,to date,large-scale manufacture of hollow microneedles has been limited by the cost and complexity of microfabrication techniques.This paper reports a novel manufacturing method that may overcome the complexity of hollow microneedle fabrication.Prototype microneedles with open microfluidic channels are fabricated by laser stereolithography.Thermoplastic replicas are manufactured from these templates by soft-embossing with high fidelity at submicron resolution.The manufacturing advantages are(a)direct printing from computeraided design(CAD)drawing without the constraints imposed by subtractive machining or etching processes,(b)high-fidelity replication of prototype geometries with multiple reuses of elastomeric molds,(c)shorter manufacturing time compared to three-dimensional stereolithography,and(d)integration of microneedles with open-channel microfluidics.Future work will address development of open-channel microfluidics for drug delivery,fluid sampling and analysis.展开更多
Experiments are used to study the fabrication of polymer microfluidic chip with hot embossing method. The pattern fidelity with respect to the process parameters is analyzed. Experiment results show that the relations...Experiments are used to study the fabrication of polymer microfluidic chip with hot embossing method. The pattern fidelity with respect to the process parameters is analyzed. Experiment results show that the relationship between the imprint temperature and the microchannel width is approximately exponential. However, the depth of micro channel isn＇t sensitive to the imprint temperature. When the imprint pressure is larger than 1 MPa and the imprint time is longer than 2 min, the increasing of imprint pressure and holding time has little impact on the microchannel width. So over long holding time is not needed in hot embossing. Based on the experiment analysis, a series of optimization process parameters is obtained and a fine microfluidic chip is fabricated. The electrophoresis separation experiment are used to verify the microfluidic chip performance after bonding. The results show that 100bp-ladder DNA sample can be separated in less than 5 min successfully.展开更多
A continuous hot embossing method is reported in this paper. The continuous means that the extruder and the hot embossing equipment is used in series, the polymer film is embossed after extrusion immediately. The basi...A continuous hot embossing method is reported in this paper. The continuous means that the extruder and the hot embossing equipment is used in series, the polymer film is embossed after extrusion immediately. The basic principle of this method, the key design point and the corresponding operate process of the embossing equipment is described in this paper. The polymer diffuser with micro-lens matrix on its surface is designed and the optical properties are simulated. Then, the diffuser is fabricated by the embossing equipment. The optical properties of the diffuser are tested and compared with the results of the simulation to verify the reproducibility of the equipment. By this method, the diffuser with large area can be fabricated with high precision of graphic replication, high efficiency and low cost.展开更多
The research on stem cell cultures has attracted much attention due to the recent development of regenerative medicine. Therefore, higher functionalities for devices used for culturing cells are strongly demanded. In ...The research on stem cell cultures has attracted much attention due to the recent development of regenerative medicine. Therefore, higher functionalities for devices used for culturing cells are strongly demanded. In this study, we fabricated cell culture sheets using transparent polyimide (PI), parylene (PA), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) to make polymer materials that had microstructures. We then cultured stromal marrow cells (OP9) on them and investigated the cell alignment within the microstructures. Hot embossing was used to fabricate the microstructures with a width and depth of 5 μm on the polymer substrates. Cultivation of the cells was confirmed on the transparent PI and PA sheets, however, it was not observed on the PEEK sheet. Slight alignment of the cells was also observed along with the microstructures.展开更多
Fabrication of microchannels on polymethylmethacrylate （PMMA） substrates using novel microfabrication methods is demonstrated. The image of microchannels is transferred from a silicon master possessing the inverse i...Fabrication of microchannels on polymethylmethacrylate （PMMA） substrates using novel microfabrication methods is demonstrated. The image of microchannels is transferred from a silicon master possessing the inverse image of the microchannel to a PMMA plate by using hot embossing methods. The silicon master is electrostatically bonded to a Pyrex 7740 glass wafer, which improves the device yield from about 20 devices to hundreds of devices per master. Effects of embossing temperature, pressure and time on the accuracy of replication are systematically studied using the orthogonal factorial design. According to the suggested experimental model, the time for the whole embossing procedure is shorten from about 20 min to 6 min, and the accuracy of replication is 99.3%. The reproducibility of the hot embossing method is evaluated using 10 channels on different microfluidic devices, with variations of 1.4 % in depth and 1.8% in width.展开更多
In order to use micro ultrasonic bonding technique to package polymer microfluidic chips, an auxiliary microstructure named micro energy director is designed and fabricated. The hot embossing process for PMMA （ polym...In order to use micro ultrasonic bonding technique to package polymer microfluidic chips, an auxiliary microstructure named micro energy director is designed and fabricated. The hot embossing process for PMMA （ polymethyl methacrylate） substrates with both concave micro channel and convex micro energy director for ultrasonic bonding is studied. The embossing processes with different embossing temperatures are simulated using Finite Element Method （FEM）. The optimized parameters are： the embossing temperature of 135 ℃ , holding time of 200 s, and the embossing pressure of 1.65 MPa. The experimental results show that the replication error between experiments and simulations is less than 2% and the replication accuracy of the microstrueture is more than 96%. The study offers a method for quick optimizing parameters for hot embossing both concave and convex microstructures.展开更多
A pressure force control system for hot embossing of microfluidic chips is designed with a moment motor and a ball bearing lead screw. Based on the numeric PID technique, the algorithm of pulsant integral accelerated ...A pressure force control system for hot embossing of microfluidic chips is designed with a moment motor and a ball bearing lead screw. Based on the numeric PID technique, the algorithm of pulsant integral accelerated PID control is presented and the negative effects of nonlinearity from friction, clearance and saturation are eliminated. In order to improve the quick-resixmse characteristic, independent thread technique is adopted. The method of pressure force control based on pulsant integral accelerated PID control and independent thread technique is applied with satisfactory control performance.展开更多
Chalcogenide glasses have shown promise in fabricating mid infrared（MIR） photonic sensing devices due to their excellent optical properties in MIR. In addition, the glass transition temperature of chalcogenide glass...Chalcogenide glasses have shown promise in fabricating mid infrared（MIR） photonic sensing devices due to their excellent optical properties in MIR. In addition, the glass transition temperature of chalcogenide glasses are generally low,making them ideal to create the high-throughput patterns of micro-scale structures based on hot embossing that is alternative to the standard lithographic technology. In this paper, we outline the research progress in the chalcogenide waveguide based on the hot embossing method, and discuss the problems remaining to be solved and the possible solutions.展开更多
基金CHA acknowledges the Australian Government for an ARC Future Fellowship(FT120100216)LEB was supported by an NHMRC senior research fellowship.
文摘Development of microneedles for unskilled and painless collection of blood or drug delivery addresses the quality of healthcare through early intervention at point-of-care.Microneedles with submicron to millimeter features have been fabricated from materials such as metals,silicon,and polymers by subtractive machining or etching.However,to date,large-scale manufacture of hollow microneedles has been limited by the cost and complexity of microfabrication techniques.This paper reports a novel manufacturing method that may overcome the complexity of hollow microneedle fabrication.Prototype microneedles with open microfluidic channels are fabricated by laser stereolithography.Thermoplastic replicas are manufactured from these templates by soft-embossing with high fidelity at submicron resolution.The manufacturing advantages are(a)direct printing from computeraided design(CAD)drawing without the constraints imposed by subtractive machining or etching processes,(b)high-fidelity replication of prototype geometries with multiple reuses of elastomeric molds,(c)shorter manufacturing time compared to three-dimensional stereolithography,and(d)integration of microneedles with open-channel microfluidics.Future work will address development of open-channel microfluidics for drug delivery,fluid sampling and analysis.
基金National Hi-tech Research Development Program of China(863 Program,No.2002AA421150)Research Foundation of Doctorial Project of Ministry of Education,China(No.20030335091)
文摘Experiments are used to study the fabrication of polymer microfluidic chip with hot embossing method. The pattern fidelity with respect to the process parameters is analyzed. Experiment results show that the relationship between the imprint temperature and the microchannel width is approximately exponential. However, the depth of micro channel isn＇t sensitive to the imprint temperature. When the imprint pressure is larger than 1 MPa and the imprint time is longer than 2 min, the increasing of imprint pressure and holding time has little impact on the microchannel width. So over long holding time is not needed in hot embossing. Based on the experiment analysis, a series of optimization process parameters is obtained and a fine microfluidic chip is fabricated. The electrophoresis separation experiment are used to verify the microfluidic chip performance after bonding. The results show that 100bp-ladder DNA sample can be separated in less than 5 min successfully.
文摘A continuous hot embossing method is reported in this paper. The continuous means that the extruder and the hot embossing equipment is used in series, the polymer film is embossed after extrusion immediately. The basic principle of this method, the key design point and the corresponding operate process of the embossing equipment is described in this paper. The polymer diffuser with micro-lens matrix on its surface is designed and the optical properties are simulated. Then, the diffuser is fabricated by the embossing equipment. The optical properties of the diffuser are tested and compared with the results of the simulation to verify the reproducibility of the equipment. By this method, the diffuser with large area can be fabricated with high precision of graphic replication, high efficiency and low cost.
文摘The research on stem cell cultures has attracted much attention due to the recent development of regenerative medicine. Therefore, higher functionalities for devices used for culturing cells are strongly demanded. In this study, we fabricated cell culture sheets using transparent polyimide (PI), parylene (PA), and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) to make polymer materials that had microstructures. We then cultured stromal marrow cells (OP9) on them and investigated the cell alignment within the microstructures. Hot embossing was used to fabricate the microstructures with a width and depth of 5 μm on the polymer substrates. Cultivation of the cells was confirmed on the transparent PI and PA sheets, however, it was not observed on the PEEK sheet. Slight alignment of the cells was also observed along with the microstructures.
基金This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50135040)National Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China(863 Program, No.2002AA404460).
文摘Fabrication of microchannels on polymethylmethacrylate （PMMA） substrates using novel microfabrication methods is demonstrated. The image of microchannels is transferred from a silicon master possessing the inverse image of the microchannel to a PMMA plate by using hot embossing methods. The silicon master is electrostatically bonded to a Pyrex 7740 glass wafer, which improves the device yield from about 20 devices to hundreds of devices per master. Effects of embossing temperature, pressure and time on the accuracy of replication are systematically studied using the orthogonal factorial design. According to the suggested experimental model, the time for the whole embossing procedure is shorten from about 20 min to 6 min, and the accuracy of replication is 99.3%. The reproducibility of the hot embossing method is evaluated using 10 channels on different microfluidic devices, with variations of 1.4 % in depth and 1.8% in width.
基金Sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.50975037)the State Key Development Program for Basic Research of China(Grant No.2011CB013105).
文摘In order to use micro ultrasonic bonding technique to package polymer microfluidic chips, an auxiliary microstructure named micro energy director is designed and fabricated. The hot embossing process for PMMA （ polymethyl methacrylate） substrates with both concave micro channel and convex micro energy director for ultrasonic bonding is studied. The embossing processes with different embossing temperatures are simulated using Finite Element Method （FEM）. The optimized parameters are： the embossing temperature of 135 ℃ , holding time of 200 s, and the embossing pressure of 1.65 MPa. The experimental results show that the replication error between experiments and simulations is less than 2% and the replication accuracy of the microstrueture is more than 96%. The study offers a method for quick optimizing parameters for hot embossing both concave and convex microstructures.
基金This project is supported by National Hi-tech Research and Development Program of China (863 Program, No. 2004AA404260).
文摘A pressure force control system for hot embossing of microfluidic chips is designed with a moment motor and a ball bearing lead screw. Based on the numeric PID technique, the algorithm of pulsant integral accelerated PID control is presented and the negative effects of nonlinearity from friction, clearance and saturation are eliminated. In order to improve the quick-resixmse characteristic, independent thread technique is adopted. The method of pressure force control based on pulsant integral accelerated PID control and independent thread technique is applied with satisfactory control performance.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61377061)the Public Project of Zhejiang Province,China(Grant No.2014C31146)sponsored by K.C.Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University,China
文摘Chalcogenide glasses have shown promise in fabricating mid infrared（MIR） photonic sensing devices due to their excellent optical properties in MIR. In addition, the glass transition temperature of chalcogenide glasses are generally low,making them ideal to create the high-throughput patterns of micro-scale structures based on hot embossing that is alternative to the standard lithographic technology. In this paper, we outline the research progress in the chalcogenide waveguide based on the hot embossing method, and discuss the problems remaining to be solved and the possible solutions.
