US 7,601,286 B2
Polymer-based platform for microfluidic systems
William Benett, Livermore, Calif. (US); Peter Krulevitch, Pleasanton, Calif. (US); Mariam Maghribi, Livermore, Calif. (US); Julie Hamilton, Tracy, Calif. (US); Klint Rose, Boston, Mass. (US); and Amy W. Wang, Oakland, Calif. (US)
Assigned to Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermore, Calif. (US)
Filed on Mar. 26, 2002, as Appl. No. 10/107,933.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/278864, filed on Mar. 26, 2001.
Prior Publication US 2002/0134907 A1, Sep. 26, 2002
Int. Cl. B29C 33/76 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 264—221  [264/317] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of forming a microfluidic system platform comprising the steps of:
providing a mold frame having frame walls surrounding a mold cavity;
providing a set of independent mold forms for use in molding hollow microfluidic features, the set of independent mold forms comprising elongated mold forms for use in molding microfluidic channels, and block mold forms for use in molding microfluidic cavities;
constructing a three-dimensional model construction of a microfluidic flow path network in the mold cavity by interconnecting mold forms selected from the set of independent mold forms and suspending the model construction in the mold cavity via the frame walls;
introducing a hardenable liquid into the mold cavity to immerse the model construction thereby;
hardening the liquid to form (1) a platform structure having a shape of the mold cavity and (2) the microfluidic flow path network in the platform structure having a seamless shape of the model construction and including at least two access ports for enabling fluidic communication with the formed microfluidic flow path network; and
removing the model construction from the platform structure through the at least two access ports so as to avail the formed microfluidic flow path network.