Microfluidic Die Epichlorohydrin-Amine Coating for Fluid Priming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing microfluidic systems face challenges in priming fluid firing chambers through small microfluidic openings, particularly with aqueous fluids lacking surfactants, leading to unreliable fluid ejection due to hydrophobic surfaces like SU8, which have short shelf-life when plasma-treated for hydrophilicity.
Innovation Solution
Modify the microfluidic die surfaces with a hydrophilic epichlorohydrin-amine coating, combining oxygen plasma treatment to open epoxide groups followed by reaction with hydrophilic amines, enhancing surface hydrophilicity and shelf-life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If plasma treatment is applied to SU8 surfaces to make them hydrophilic, then fluid priming capability is improved, but shelf-life deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a hydrophilic coating to the SU8 surface before plasma treatment. This preliminary coating serves as a protective layer that prevents the SU8 surface from dehydrophilicizing over time, thereby extending shelf-life while maintaining the hydrophilic properties needed for fluid priming after plasma treatment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary substance (hydrophilic coating material) between the SU8 surface and the plasma treatment. This intermediary layer mediates the interaction, allowing the plasma to create hydrophilic properties while the coating itself provides long-term stability and prevents degradation of the hydrophilic surface properties.
2Ease of manufacture
If hydrophobic SU8 surfaces are used, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but fluid ejection reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the surface energy parameters of the SU8 material by applying a hydrophilic coating and subsequent plasma treatment. This parameter change transforms the surface from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, improving fluid wettability and ejection reliability while maintaining the ease of manufacturing the SU8 component itself.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The modified surfaces enable reliable priming and ejection of surfactant-free aqueous fluids with improved longevity, ensuring consistent performance over time.
Implementation Method 1
The SU8 can be oxygen plasma-treated prior to modification with the hydrophilic epichlorohydrin-amine
Implementation Method 2
oxygen plasma-treated to open the epoxide groups
Implementation Method 3
reaction with hydrophilic amines, enhancing surface hydrophilicity
Implementation Method 4
modify the microfluidic die surfaces with a hydrophilic epichlorohydrin-amine coating
Implementation Method 5
By modifying the internal surfaces of the microfluidics in accordance with the present disclosure, acceptable priming through very small microfluidic openings can be realized
Data Source
AI summary
A microfluidic die can include a fluid firing chamber and a microfluidic channel positioned to fluidically feed the fluid firing chamber. The fluid firing chamber and the microfluidic channel can be defined by a photoactive substrate having an oxygen-containing surface modified with a hydrophilic epichlorohydrin-amine.