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ERIC Number: EJ1002936
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Oct
Pages: 5
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Low-Cost Rapid Prototyping of Whole-Glass Microfluidic Devices
Yuen, Po Ki; Goral, Vasiliy N.
Journal of Chemical Education, v89 n10 p1288-1292 Oct 2012
A low-cost, straightforward, rapid prototyping of whole-glass microfluidic devices is presented using glass-etching cream that can be easily purchased in local stores. A self-adhered vinyl stencil cut out by a desktop digital craft cutter was used as an etching mask for patterning microstructures in glass using the glass-etching cream. A specific calcium-assisted glass-to-glass bonding at 115 degrees C in a standard laboratory oven for 2 h was used to complete the whole-glass microfluidic device fabrication process. Various functional microfluidic devices were demonstrated with this rapid prototyping method. The complete fabrication process from device-design concept to working device can be completed in approximately 3 to 4 h in a regular laboratory setting without the need of expensive equipment and the need to handle extremely hazardous hydrofluoric acid. This whole-glass rapid prototyping method will be of immediate benefit to the microfluidic and nano- or micro-fabrication community in potentially saving time and costs associated with prototyping of whole-glass microfluidic devices. Also, it lowers the barriers to new entrants to the field of microfluidics and could be useful at both undergraduate and graduate levels for hands-on microfabrication and microfluidic courses with limited resources for expensive and high tech equipment. (Contains 6 figures.)
Division of Chemical Education, Inc and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A