UV-Imprint of micro-textured polymer films for biomedical disposables

In the life science sector, increasing demands on the reproducibility and accuracy of lab-on-chip systems require new manufacturing technologies for the production of polymer films with multifunctional surfaces. A mass-production capable and cost-effective way to pattern microfluidic films is the manufacturing process of UV injection molding. Therefore, the aim of the project is to develop microstructured polymer films with multifunctional surface properties by means of an injection molding UV plate-to-plate (P2P) replication process. For this purpose, a special film injection molding system was developed that allows filling with different formulations, curing by UV light and molding of the required microstructures. In respect to the application of the microstructured polyacrylate films in cell-based assays as well as biosensor disposables, microstructures of various geometries were designed and produced in the P2P process. In addition, cell tests were performed in this study in order to evaluate the biocompatibility and optical quality of the substrates, and to verify the functionality of the microstructures. Here, we show that the structured polyacrylate foil is a suitable substrate that can be implemented in plastic microfluidic chips for cell-based assays and biosensor disposables.