Experimental Investigations on the Durability of PMMA Microfluidic Devices Fabricated by Hot Embossing Lithography with Plasma Processing for Bioengineering Applications

Subhadeep Mukhopadhyay

Abstract

In this research paper, total 1290 individual static contact angles of different working liquids have been measured and recorded on the flat polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surfaces. Total 474 individual PMMA microfluidic devices have been fabricated by the maskless lithography, hot embossing lithography and direct bonding technique inside the cleanroom laboratory and mechanical engineering workshop to determine the durability of these microfluidic devices. Total nine individual working liquids have been used to record the static contact angles in materials science laboratory. The durability of PMMA microfluidic devices is determined as approximately 6 months continuously after the fabrication. The estimated durability is suitable for any point-of-care purpose with sufficient portability in the bioengineering applications. This estimation of durability is one novel approach in this research paper. The measurements on the surface-driven capillary flow of any working liquid in this research paper are related with the principles of fluid dynamics. The measurements of static contact angles of all working liquids are related with the principles of fluid statics. Fluid mechanics is fundamentally divided into fluid dynamics and fluid statics on the basis of the motion of fluid. Author has performed all the experiments of this research paper during more than 1 year using his own hands-on completely.

Abstract

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