Simple approaches to close the open structure of microfluidic chips and connecting them to the macro-world

Microchip electrophoresis has a great potential to improve the speed and throughput of chemical and biochemical analyses. Conventional electrophoresis microchip fabrication methods comprise the main steps of channel formation, cover plate binding and access hole construction. While the fabrication of appropriate cover plates and their bonding process are quite essential to the creation of closed microfluidic networks, connection means of microchips to the macro-world is one of the most important parts of microchip fabrication. In this paper the most commonly used approaches are discussed for cover plate connector fabrication in conjunction with high and low temperature glue-less binding processes. The microchannels in the glass substrate were fabricated by sawing and powder blasting under regular laboratory settings, i.e., not necessitating the use of a clean-room environment, making in this way broader availability for electrophoresis microchip technology. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.