Non-linear mechanical behavior of the elastomer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) used in the manufacture of microfluidic devices
نویسنده
چکیده
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is the elastomer of choice to create a variety of microfluidic devices by soft lithography techniques (e.g., [1], [2], [3], [4]). Accurate and reliable design, manufacture, and operation of microfluidic devices made from PDMS, require a detailed characterization of the deformation and failure behavior of the material. This paper discusses progress in a recently-initiated research project towards this goal. We have conducted large-deformation tension and compression experiments on traditional macroscale specimens, as well as microscale tension experiments on thin-film (≈ 50μm thickness) specimens of PDMS with varying ratios of monomer:curing agent (5:1, 10:1, 20:1). We find that the stress-stretch response of these materials shows significant variability, even for nominally identically prepared specimens. A non-linear, large-deformation rubber-elasticity model [5], [6] is applied to represent the behavior of PDMS. The constitutive model has been implemented in a finite-element program [7] to aid the design of microfluidic devices made from this material. As a first attempt towards the goal of estimating the non-linear material parameters for PDMS from indentation experiments, we have conducted micro-indentation experiments using a spherical indenter-tip, and carried out corresponding numerical simulations to verify how well the numerically-predicted P (load-h (depth of indentation) curves compare with the corresponding experimental measurements. The results are encouraging, and show the possibility of estimating the material parameters for PDMS from relatively simple micro-indentation experiments, and corresponding numerical simulations.
منابع مشابه
Multi-layer Embedment of Conductive and Non-conductive Pdms for All-elastomer Mems
PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) elastomer is widely used in MEMS. However, PDMS is non-conductive and as a result is used in mostly structural applications. We report methods for monolithic integration of conductive and non-conductive PDMS for realizing wholly polymer-based devices with embedded elastomer wires, electrodes, heaters, and sensors. In this work we demonstrate elastomer strain gauges, ...
متن کاملStop flow lithography in perfluoropolyether (PFPE) microfluidic channels.
Stop Flow Lithography (SFL) is a microfluidic-based particle synthesis method for creating anisotropic multifunctional particles with applications that range from MEMS to biomedical engineering. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been typically used to construct SFL devices as the material enables rapid prototyping of channels with complex geometries, optical transparency, and oxygen permeability....
متن کاملReduced UV light scattering in PDMS microfluidic devices.
Microfluidic devices which consist of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) are used extensively for the production of polymer microparticles through the use of droplet templating and on-chip photopolymerization. However, in existing methods, spatial confinement of the photochemical droplet solidification is impaired by UV light scattering inside the PDMS elastomer. We present a technique to load PDMS mi...
متن کاملClear castable polyurethane elastomer for fabrication of microfluidic devices.
Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has numerous desirable properties for fabricating microfluidic devices, including optical transparency, flexibility, biocompatibility, and fabrication by casting; however, partitioning of small hydrophobic molecules into the bulk of PDMS hinders industrial acceptance of PDMS microfluidic devices for chemical processing and drug development applications. Here we descr...
متن کاملSmall molecule absorption by PDMS in the context of drug response bioassays
The polymer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is widely used to build microfluidic devices compatible with cell culture. Whilst convenient in manufacture, PDMS has the disadvantage that it can absorb small molecules such as drugs. In microfluidic devices like "Organs-on-Chip", designed to examine cell behavior and test the effects of drugs, this might impact drug bioavailability. Here we developed an...
متن کاملذخیره در منابع من
با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید
عنوان ژورنال:
دوره شماره
صفحات -
تاریخ انتشار 2004