Fabrication of microchannel using sequential micromilling and micromoulding

Abstract

A new fabrication method for producing microchannel using metallic micromold is discussed in this paper. Microchannels have attracted different applications such as biochemistry, biomedical, lab-on-a chip and MEMS devices, etc. However, due to its lesser feature size the fabrication of it is a challenge set ahead. As microchannels have vast applications, but different feature size, finishing, materials, parameters are used according to different application. Hence, it becomes important to find out the appropriate manufacturing processes for an application. Conventional methods for fabricating microchannels are centred either etching in glass and silicon or using lithography. The major problem is that the traditional method to fabricate microchannels are not only expensive but also time consuming. It needs infrastructure and well monitored clean room environment which demands large initial investment. This paper focuses on providing a simple and economical method for fabrication of microchannels. In this proposed method, replica of microchannel is made on a brass substrate using sequential micromilling and then microchannel is produced by using PDMS as molding material. The process and selection of molding material is discussed in detail in this paper.