Thermoplastic Fluidic Device with Adhesive Bonding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current microfluidic devices for organ-on-chip technology face challenges such as high cost, complexity in fabrication, and limitations in recapitulating tissue-tissue interfaces, particularly due to the use of PDMS which lacks O2 tension control, is water vapor permeable, and requires specialized bonding processes.
Innovation Solution
A multi-layered fluidic device is developed using a double-sided adhesive coupled with substrates, allowing for rapid and cost-effective fabrication without the need for microfabrication training or facilities, featuring a cavity for fluid flow and integrated membranes to mimic tissue-tissue interfaces, and is made from biocompatible thermoplastics to prevent evaporation-induced issues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If PDMS soft lithography is used for fabrication, then high feature resolution and biocompatibility are achieved, but gas permeability prevents O2 tension control and water vapor permeability causes evaporation-induced bubble formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from PDMS to thermoplastic polymers, which fundamentally alters the gas and water vapor permeability characteristics. This material substitution enables control over O2 tension and prevents evaporation-induced issues while maintaining manufacturing precision through laser cutting technology.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the plasma activation bonding mechanism with a mechanical bonding system using double-sided adhesive tapes. This substitution eliminates the need for specialized plasma equipment while achieving reliable bonding between thermoplastic layers, thereby enabling O2 tension control that was previously impossible with PDMS.
2Manufacturing precision
If PDMS soft lithography is used for fabrication, then high feature resolution is achieved, but bonding to polymers requires additional processing such as silanization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces chemical bonding mechanisms (plasma activation and silanization) with a mechanical bonding system using double-sided adhesive tapes. This substitution dramatically simplifies the manufacturing process, eliminating the need for specialized equipment and complex chemical processing steps while maintaining bonding reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inexpensive double-sided adhesive tapes as a disposable bonding mechanism, replacing expensive and complex plasma treatment equipment. This approach makes the fabrication process accessible to standard laboratories without specialized microfabrication infrastructure.
3Illumination intensity
If PDMS is used as substrate material, then optical transparency and gas permeability are achieved, but PDMS absorbs hydrophobic molecules complicating drug pharmacokinetic studies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter from PDMS to thermoplastic polymers, which fundamentally alters the chemical interaction properties. The new material maintains optical transparency for imaging but eliminates the hydrophobic molecule absorption issue, enabling accurate drug pharmacokinetic studies.
4Manufacturing precision
If lithographic mold fabrication is used, then high precision features are produced, but initial prototyping requires multiple iterations and costs are prohibitively expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex lithographic mold fabrication system with a direct laser cutting system that works with flat thermoplastic sheets. This mechanical substitution eliminates the need for expensive mold creation and multiple prototyping iterations, enabling single-step fabrication at low cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the device into separate layers (substrates, membranes, adhesive layers) that can be independently fabricated and then assembled. This segmentation allows for simplified manufacturing of each component using laser cutting, avoiding the need for expensive integrated lithographic molds.
5Ease of manufacture
If single channel 3D printed devices are used, then fabrication is simplified, but membranes for recapitulating tissue-tissue interfaces cannot be integrated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the device into separate layers including substrate layers and membrane layers that can be independently fabricated and then assembled using double-sided adhesives. This segmentation enables the integration of membranes for tissue-tissue interfaces while maintaining fabrication simplicity through modular construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple fabrication techniques (laser cutting for substrates, membrane integration, and adhesive bonding) into a unified multi-layer assembly process. This combination enables both fabrication simplicity and the versatility to integrate membranes for recapitulating tissue-tissue interfaces.
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
This approach enables the production of organs-on-chips at a significantly lower cost, facilitates high-throughput manufacturing, and supports cell growth and differentiation, addressing the limitations of existing technologies by providing O2 tension control and preventing osmolarity shifts.
Implementation Method 1
a member with opposing adhesive sides used in coupling the substrates
Implementation Method 2
plenums traversing the substrates to provide fluidic coupling from a location external from the first or second substrate to either the first or second side of the member
Implementation Method 3
a cavity defined by the member that forms at least a portion of a flow path
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment is a scientific fluidic device and a method of assembly of single and multilayer fluidic devices via laser cut and assembly of double sided adhesives. The device includes a member defining a cavity and having two sides, both sides including an adhesive compound, and at least one substrate defining at least two plenums and coupling to the member, forming a flow path. The components of the fluidic device are produced via laser cut and assembly methods. The fluidic device remains intact via adhesive coupling between the substrate(s), member(s), and membrane(s). Altogether, the fluidic device requires assembly that is efficient and economical, resulting in high throughput manufacturing of the fluidic devices.