Methods and materials for fabricating microfluidic devices
View Patent ↗Materials and Methods are provided for fabricating microfluidic devices. The materials include low surface energy fluoropolymer compositions having multiple cure functional groups. The materials can include multiple photocurable and/or thermal-curable functional groups such that laminate devices can be fabricated. The materials also substantially do not swell in the presence of hydrocarbon solvents.
1. A polymer composition, comprising:
a first component including a fluoropolymer having a first curable functional group, wherein the fluoropolymer having a first curable functional group comprises a diurethane methacrylate functionalized perfluoropolyether having one of the following structures:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100, and n is one; and a second component including a polymer having a second curable functional group, wherein the polymer having said second curable functional group is a fluoropolymer, wherein said fluoropolymer comprises:
(a) a diisocyanate functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100;
(b) a diisocyanate functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100;
(c) a diepoxy functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100; or
(d) a diamine functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100.
2. The polymer composition of claim 1 , further comprising a third component including a fluoropolymer having a third curable functional group, wherein said third curable functional group comprises a tetrol functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100;
or a triol functionalized perfluoropolyether having a structure of:
wherein n′ is an integer from 1 to 100.
3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the first curable functional group reacts at a first wavelength and the second curable functional group reacts at a second time period, wherein following activation of the second curable functional group the composition can be bound to a substrate through activation of the third curable functional group.
4. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the second curable functional group reacts at a first time period and the third curable functional group reacts at a second time period, wherein following activation of the second curable functional group the composition can be bound to a substrate through activation of the third curable functional group.
5. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the second curable functional group reacts at a first temperature and the third curable functional group reacts at a second temperature, wherein following activation of the second curable functional group the composition can be bound to a substrate through activation of the third curable functional group.
6. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a surface energy of less than about 20 dynes/cm.
7. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a surface energy of less than about 18 dynes/cm.
8. The polymer composition of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material has a surface energy of less than about 15 dynes/cm.
9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the second curable functional group remains viable after the first curable functional group is activated such that the second curable functional group can bind with a group consisting of another polymer, a hydroxyl group, another functional group, and combinations thereof.
10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the perfluoropolyether has a molecular weight of about 16000 and a modulus of about 800 kPa.
11. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the perfluoropolyether has a molecular weight of less than about 16000.
12. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the perfluoropolyether has a modulus of greater than about 500 kPa.
13. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the perfluoropolyether has a molecular weight of about 16000 and a percent elongation at break of about 200 percent.
14. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the perfluoropolyether has a percent elongation at break of less than about 200 percent.
15. The composition of claim 1 , wherein one of the first component or the second component includes a fluoropolymer having an elongation at break of about 300 percent.
16. The composition of claim 1 , wherein one of the first component or the second component includes a fluoropolymer having an elongation at break of about 200 percent.
17. The composition of claim 1 , wherein one of the first component or the second component includes a fluoropolymer having an elongation at break of between about 100 percent and about 300 percent.
18. The composition of claim 1 , wherein one of the first component or the second component includes a perfluoropolyether having an elongation at break of between about 200 percent and about 300 percent.