Method of forming a sealed channel of a microfluidic reactor and a microfluidic reactor comprising such channel

Abstract

In a method according to the invention for forming a sealed channel (125) in the surface of a sheet made of a material with certain extent of plasticity, the machining surface of a tool with a rolling machining surface is brought into contact with a first point of the channel (125) to be formed in the surface of the sheet constituting a reactor block. Next, said machining surface is pressed onto the surface of the sheet with a compressive force (F) required to achieve the depth of the channel (125) to be formed, whereby the plastic material is squeezed out and becomes raised from the sheet surface on the peripheries of the depression being formed. After this, while maintaining the compressive force (F), by displacing said machining surface along the centerline of the channel (125) over the sheet surface it is rolled from the first point of the channel (125) to be formed to a second point thereof, whereby the channel (125) is machined in the material of the sheet and sealing edges (127) are created on the peripheries of the channel (125) from the material squeezed out and become raised. After creating said sealing edges (127), a closing member bearing against the sealing edges (127) is arranged at the surface of the sheet provided with the channel (125) and the sealing edges (127), and then said closing member is pressed onto the sheet by a compressive force required to deform said sealing edges (127) and is fixed in the position obtained, whereby a sealed channel (125) running between the first and second points is formed within the reactor block.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to a method of forming a sealed channel on the surface of a sheet made of a material having a certain degree of plasticity, said sheet forming a reactor module for a microfluidic reactor. The present invention also relates to a microfluidic reactor, which includes a sealed channel with an outlet and an inlet for providing a chemical reaction space, and the outlet and the inlet are both communicated with the external environment of the reactor, wherein the reactor also includes a The coupling mechanism holds and clamps together the first and second confinement members, the closure member and a cooling chamber in communication with the environment external to the reactor, said cooling chamber having a temperature control unit therein. Background technique [0002] In the chemical industry, larger sized reactors are used to carry out different kinds of chemical reactions on an industrial scale. However, flasks of much smalle...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These assembly processes are expensive, time-consuming and require the use of auxiliary equipment (e.g. furnaces, welding equipment) on the one hand and very advanced manufacturing techniques on the other

Furthermore, most of these reactors cannot be disassembled without being damaged, or are very complicated to disassemble if the channels need to be cleaned

[0006] Additionally, channel walls formed by the above methods without additional surface treatment are microscopically uneven (i.e., "finely textured / grained"), which will result in a relatively large surface

Consequently, the channel walls are subjected to attack by violently acting reactants, such as ozone, or, in special cases, the structure of the walls can lead to an uncontrolled decomposition of any reaction intermediates or even the reactants (ozone) themselves

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