Tape bonding of micro droplet generation thermoplastics devices

• Main Author: Chen, Mufeng
• Other Authors: Tor Shu Beng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Mechanical engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60894
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Microfluidics and microfluidic droplet technique is a hot topic of study in the recent years. It is crucial to a wide array of industries, with various important utilities in modern life. Microfluidic devices can improve the quality of emulsions by controlling the droplet size formed. PMMA, poly(methyl methacrylate) has low material cost, and is often used as a lightweight, shatter-resistant alternative to glass. Methods such as micro-injection molding can be used in making PMMA microfluidic substrates with open micro-channels. These micro-channels need to be sealed before the microfluidic device is rendered usable. Various bonding methods, such as bonding with heat, where plastic molecules are fused together, and bonding without heat, where adhesive and chemical solvents are used, are employed to seal the micro-channels. In this project, the effectiveness of tape bonding on PMMA microfluidic substrate was tested with air, water and oil. Transparent or highly translucent commercial tapes were obtained, and the experiments were done by increasing the pressures on these fluids in the micro channels, then noting down the delamination value. The results obtained from these pressure delamination tests were recorded and analysed. Thereafter, adhesive tests were also performed using the tape, in order to determine which tape adhesive was more resistant to both water and oil. This was to determine both the tensile and shear adhesion strength of the tape adhesion to the PMMA substrate. As these experiments cannot be conducted with existing equipment in the lab, rigs to hold the PMMA micro fluidic substrate and the tape were designed and manufactured.