Low cost design and fabrication of PDMS microfluidics micromixers for DNA extraction

Abstract

Efficient micromixing is required for fast reaction and improved mixing performance for DNA extraction in microfluidic devices. This study outlines a simple, low cost approach for prototyping design and fabrication of PDMS microfluidics micromixers for DNA extraction. The design is plotted using AutoCAD software and the master template is fabricated using a negative photoresist, SU-8, on a microscopic glass slide. PDMS was used for replication of microfluidics channels to create a microfluidics chip due to its biocompatibility as well as other advantages pertaining to high performance of fluid delivery and biochemical reactions. High power microscopy (HPM) results show successful, insignificant difference in size, <70 μm between the dimensions in the original design on AutoCAD software and the dimensions in PDMS microfluidics after fabrication. FTIR spectra shows peaks between 690 cm−1–1500 cm−1, indicating presence of DNA fragments from the fraction sample pooled at microfluidics outlet, which signifies successful DNA extraction.