Photocurable perfluoropolyethers for use as novel materials in microfluidic devices

Abstract

A functionalized photocurable perfluoropolyether is used as a material for fabricating a solvent-resistant microfluidic device. Such solvent-resistant microfluidic devices can be used to control the flow of small amounts of a fluid, such as an organic solvent, and to perform microscale chemical reactions that are not amenable to other polymer-based microfluidic devices.

1 . A layer of photocured perfluoropolyether comprising a patterned surface layer, wherein said patterned surface layer defines a plurality of chambers. 
     
     
         2 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said perfluoropolyether precursor comprises an end functionalized perfluoropolyether. 
     
     
         3 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said photocured perfluoropolyether comprises a photoinitiator of 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenyl acetophenone. 
     
     
         4 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said photocured perfluoropolyether comprises a perfluoropolyether dimethacrylate. 
     
     
         5 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said photocured perfluoropolyether comprises a perfluoropolyether distyrenic. 
     
     
         6 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned layer of photocured perfluoropolyether is less than about 100 micrometers thick. 
     
     
         7 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned layer of photocured perfluoropolyether is less than about 50 micrometers thick. 
     
     
         8 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said patterned layer of photocured perfluoropolyether is less than about 1 micrometer thick. 
     
     
         9 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise at least one cross-sectional dimension that is in a range of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         10 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise at least one cross-sectional dimension that is in a range of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         11 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise at least one cross-sectional dimension that is in a range of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 5 micrometers. 
     
     
         12 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a depth range from about 0.2 micrometers to about 20 micrometers. 
     
     
         13 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a depth range from about 0.05 micrometers to about 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         14 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a depth range from about 0.05 micrometers to about 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         15 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a width-to-depth ratio range from about 1:1 to about 100:1. 
     
     
         16 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a width-to-depth ratio range from about 0.1:1 to about 100:1. 
     
     
         17 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise a width-to-depth ratio range from about 1:1 to about 50:1. 
     
     
         18 . The layer of  claim 1 , wherein said chambers comprise holes in the patterned layer of the photocured perfluoropolyether.