Microfluidic devices are currently used in many different fields, stretching from chemistry and biology to physics and engineering. These devices include microfluidic channels for transporting fluids from one part of the device to another. The fluids may be mixed and/or analysed on the device. Accordingly, microfluidic devices have extensive applications as lab-on-chip devices.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is commonly used for the fabrication of microfluidic devices. It is relatively inexpensive, gas permeable and has a refractive index of 1.4, close to that of glass.

Various methods for fabricating microfluidic devices are known. In one such method, a silicon master is generated by photolithography. Here, light is used to transfer a geometric pattern from a photomask to a light-sensitive layer or photoresist deposited on a silicon substrate. A master pattern is then engraved according to the geometric pattern into the photoresist. The engraved pattern shows the microfluidic channels in positive relief. A material, such as liquid PDMS pre-polymer, is then poured over the master and cured, so that the microfluidic channels are moulded into PDMS in negative relief. The PDMS replica is then peeled from the master and the replica is sealed to a flat surface to enclose the microfluidic channels.

Although the process is effective, it is highly time-consuming and requires a high level of skill. Furthermore, the fabrication of 3-D channels is difficult as multiple layers of 2-D channels are required to be stacked together.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a microfluidic device, said method comprising placing a length of material in a liquid polymer, configuring the length of material to define the path of a microfluidic channel, curing or setting the polymer liquid to form a solid polymer around the configured length of material, and dissolving the configured length of material with a solvent to provide a microfluidic channel in the solid polymer.

For the avoidance of doubt, the length of material may be configured before or after placing the length of material in a liquid polymer. However, the length of material is preferably configured prior to being placed in the liquid polymer. The length of material may be configured into the desired configuration by any suitable method, including moulding and 3- D printing. Alternatively, the material may be bent into shape, for example, using heat. The material may be relatively inflexible at room temperature but may become malleable at higher temperatures. For example, the material may be shaped into various forms at elevated temperatures, for example, of 70 °C or more.

The present inventors have found that it is possible to configure and set a length of material in the polymer as a scaffold, which is subsequently dissolved using a solvent to leave a microfluidic channel within the polymer. This allows a microfluidic channel to be produced either in two or three dimensions in a convenient and effective manner.

Preferably, at least a portion of the configured length of material protrudes from the solid polymer. More preferably, the ends of the configured length of material protrude from the solid polymer. The exposed portions of material are more readily accessible by solvent, allowing the dissolution of the material to be initiated more readily.

Any suitable polymer may be used as the liquid polymer that is set around the configured length of material. Preferably, the liquid polymer is polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). Other examples include epoxy-based polymers (e.g. SU-8); polyacrylamides and agarose gel. The polymers may be cured using a curing agent on exposure to, for example, heat or light (e.g. UV radiation). The length of material is desirably insoluble in the liquid polymer. Moreover, if the liquid polymer is cured by, for example, exposure to elevated temperatures, the temperatures required for curing is desirably sufficiently low to avoid causing the length of material to lose its configured shape. Any suitable material may be used as the length of material. In a preferred embodiment, the length of material is a length of polymer filament. Suitable polymers may be selected from acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polylactic acid, polystyrene (preferably high impact polystyrene) and polyvinyl acetate. Preferably, the length of material is a length of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

Any suitable solvent may be used to dissolve the configured length of material. The precise nature of the solvent will depend on the nature of the material used. For example, where the length of material is acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, acetone may be employed as the solvent. Where the length of material is formed of polylactic acid or polyvinyl acetate, an alkali solution (e.g. an aqueous hydroxide, such as aqueous sodium hydroxide) may be used as a solvent. Where high impact polystyrene is used as the length of material, D-limonene may be used as the solvent. When acetone is used as solvent, dichloromethane may be added to aid the removal of the length of material.

Preferably, mechanical and/or electronic components may be suspended and set in the polymer. Examples of such components include valves, mixing vessels, LEDs, heating elements, conductive wires, magnets and sensors. Such components may be embedded in the polymer, for example, adjacent or in communication with the microfluidic channel(s). In one embodiment, a component may be included in a channel by first forming or moulding the length of material (e.g. acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) around the component. The length of material containing the component is then suspended in the liquid polymer (e.g. PDMS), which is subsequently cured or set. When the length of material is dissolved using a solvent, the component is left in the desired position within the microfluidic channel. The solvent (e.g. acetone) used to dissolve the length of material is advantageously selected so as to be non-corrosive to the component.

In another embodiment, it is possible to position a component adjacent a microfluidic channel. For example, a length of metal coil may be wrapped around the length of material (e.g. acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) configured to define the path of the microfluidic channel. The wrapped material may then be suspended in the liquid polymer (e.g. PDMS), which is subsequently cured or set. When the length of material is dissolved using a solvent, the metal coil is positioned around the microfluidic channel. By ensuring that the ends of the length of metal protrude from the set polymer (e.g. PDMS), it is possible to e.g. pass a current through the metal wire, for example, to heat in that region of the microfluidic device.

These and other aspects of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the steps required to perform a method according to Example 1 of the present invention;

Figures 2a to 2d depict examples of microfluidic channels formed according to Example 2 of the present invention; and

Figures 3a to 3d depict examples of electronic components incorporated into devices formed according to Example 3 of the present invention.

Example 1

SYLGARD silicone elastomer 184 and SYLGARD silicone elastomer 184 curing agent were obtained from Dow Corning Corporation. A 3D SIMO pen was used for extruding 1.7 mm acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), plastic filament that was obtained from the same vendor. 3D print of Hilbert cube was ordered online and 3D printed by ridix.nl (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) using a Dimension SST 1200es printer and by 3dhubs.com using a Duplicator 4 printer. Acetone was obtained from Sigma Aldrich.

The ABS plastic filament was extruded through a 500 μηη nozzle (3D SIMO pen) and then modeled into the desired 3D shape with the help of a soldering iron set (100 °C) or printed with a fused deposition modeling 3D printer (see Figure 1 ). The modeled ABS plastic scaffold was then immersed in a well mixed solution of 10:1 sylgard 184/sylgard 184 curing agent. The PDMS was then placed under vacuum for removing air bubbles and cured for 2 hours at 75 °C, or overnight at room temperature. The PDMS was consecutively left for 12 hours in acetone, after which the microchannels were cleaned with acetone and dried with a flow of compressed air.

Example 2

Using a similar procedure to that described with reference to Example 1 , many different 3D channels were readily created. These are depicted in Figures 2a to 2d. Figure 2a shows spiral channels. Figure 2b shows multiple microfluidic channels with different geometries. Figure 2c shows microfluidic channels with compartments differing in size. Figure 2d shows a complex 3D multilevel scaffold based on the Hilbert curve. The ABS polymer scaffold was 3D-printed utilizing ABS fuse deposition modeling. The microfluidic channel depicted in Figure 2d was formed from a scaffold that was 35 cm long and formed of 1 .4 mL of ABS. Nonetheless, it was still possible to remove the plastic with subsequent baths in dichloromethane and acetone.

Example 3

In this example, electronic circuitry, heating elements and RF components were incorporated in the microfluidic device.

Figure 3a depicts a microfluidic device containing an embedded 390 nm LED, for example, for optical detection or electronic excitation of chemicals in the microfluidic channel. The LED was inserted in the PDMS together with the scaffold before curing. Then, acetone treatment was used to remove only the scaffold, leaving the electronics intact.

Figure 3b depicts a microfluidic device containing a selective heating unit. A 200 μηη nichrome resistance wire was loosely wrapped around the ABS polymer scaffold and inserted in PDMS. After curing and dissolving the ABS scaffold, a voltage of 1.2 V and current of 0.35 A was applied to the wire. This sufficed for selectively heating a thermochromic dye above 27 °C only in the part of the channel surrounded by the resistance wire. Temperatures can be varied and the 200 μηη wire can be used, for example, to boil water inside the channel. This simple and selective heating element embedded in the microfluidic chip can be of great value for deisgning chips to perform, e.g., biological experiments like PCR, sterilization inside the microchannels or for setting different temperatures for organ-on-chips or cell cultures. Figure 3c depicts a microfluidic device containing a solenoidal NMR microcoil. A 32 μηη copper wire was wrapped around a 500 μηη ABS filament, resulting in a final channel encompassed by a solenoidal NMR microcoil (Figure 3c), with a detection volume of only 2 μΙ_ (normal NMR tubes contain about 500 μΙ_ sample volume). Because the transceiver coil matched the size of the sample, the sensitivity of the system was good. This microfluidic device was integrated on a cylindrical aluminum probe insert and placed inside a 9.4 Tesla narrow-bore superconducting NMR magnet. Tuning the resonance circuit to 376 MHz allowed high-resolution NMR spectra to be obtained (see figure 3c insert for spectrum). Line- widths at half peak-height were obtained of about 3 Hz and resolving heteronuclear spin- spin couplings, opening up the way to further optimization and applications. In addition, it was calculated that the material costs for fabricating this device is less than 2 Euro.

Figure 3d depicts a microfluidic device comprising an embedded color sensor and a microcontroller. An Arduino micro and a color sensor were wired together and immersed in PDMS with an ABS scaffold. After curing the PDMS and removing the ABS polymer with acetone, the resulting microfluidic channel was right on top of the color sensor. Hooking up the Arduino to a computer revealed all the components of the microcontroller and the sensor to be working properly.