Polymer chips

Close-up cell-culturing plate

Polymer chips

When it comes to the production of low cost, high volume disposables, polymer is your material of choice. It is also the most used material for fast prototyping or short production runs. Fabrication techniques for polymer microfluidic devices are relatively simple, compared to those of glass and silicon. Micromilling and replication can be marked as the main processes in polymer production.

There are many types of polymer available that allow tuning of material properties, which makes polymer an excellent medium for microfluidic applications. It’s especially useful in many biological, pharmaceutical, and medical applications due to its biocompatibility and optical transparency. Polymers are also used as an extension to the predominantly silicon basis of MEMS.

Working with polymers can also be useful when a scale-up in production volumes is expected. When this is taken into account at the initial stage of the process, a relatively smooth technology transfer to another polymer can be realized. This way, costs, lead times, and functionality remain manageable.

Most used polymers

At Micronit, the most commonly used polymers are PMMA, PS, COC, and PC.

  • Thickness: 0.1mm-5mm
  • Thermal resistance: range between 20 °C up to 120 °C
  • Chemical inertness: poor-excellent, depending on the material of choice
  • Surface roughness: optical quality
  • Autofluorescence: low
  • Refractive index: n = 1.49-1.60

Are you working on a polymer microfluidic device? Or would you like to discuss the best type of material for your project? Please, feel free to contact us directly. Our Sales and R&D teams will be happy to assist you!