Micro- or nano-fluidic chip fabricated with Norland Optical Adhesive and bioanalysis platform

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to Micro- or Nano-fluidic chip fabricated with Norland Optical Adhesive (NOA), an acrylated polyurethane-based UV-polymerizable optical adhesive, and bioanalysis platform produced by using the same.

(b) Background Art

A microfluidic chip fabricated by microfluidic technology is a chip containing micro-sized channels. In the microfluidic chip, a small amount of fluid flows through microchannels to make various reactions, which makes it possible to integrate the multiple, complicated laboratory processes on a single chip. Accordingly, it is also called as Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC). As a material for fabricating microchannels, various materials have been studied and used, such as glass, silica, polycarbonate, and poly(methylmethacrylate), poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS). Recently, a nanofluidic chip containing nano-sized channels has been also studied actively, which allows even single molecule detection.

Norland Optical Adhesive (NOA), which is a commercial product developed as an optical adhesive, is a clear, colorless liquid polymer at ambient temperature that will cure when exposed to ultraviolet light. The fully cured NOA is also colorless and clear. Further, the fully cured NOA has an optical properties of a wide spectral range, and mechanical properties of not being easily deformed such as shrinking or expanding due to its hardness. On the basis of those mechanical properties, NOA was suggested as an alternative material in fabricating nanostructures, for substituting the conventional materials such as PDMS.

Capillarity is a phenomenon associated with surface or interfacial tension, and a spontaneous movement of liquids along narrow tubes. PDMS widely used in fabricating microchannels is extremely hydrophobic, in which an extra pumping system is needed in order to flow fluid inside microchannels. However, in the related field, an ideal device is mostly a device having microchannels in which fluid flows by a capillary force without extra external pumping. Accordingly, there are many studies in progress in order to develop such device, and the following methods were reported: a method that PDMS is exposed to energy such as oxygen plasma and UV/ozone to make the surface hydrophilic; a method of further coating with hydrophilic molecules after the above surface treatment; and a method of multiple coating with hydrophilic molecules using sol-gel chemistry.

A microfluidic device is considerably applicable in construction of a bioanalysis platform. A microfluidic chip allows quick immunoassay or DNA even with a very small amount of sample, as well as performing the pretreatment step such as PCR and cell lysis on a single chip. Subsequently, a portable and usable bioanalysis platform has been developed. The bioanalysis platform is expected to play a critical role in realizing POC (point-of-care) of performing diagnostic testing at or near the site of patient care.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a micro- or nano-fluidic chip fabricated with a NOA.

It is another object of the invention to provide a bioanalysis platform produced by a micro- or nano-fluidic chip fabricated with a NOA.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a method for fabricating a micro- or nano-fluidic chip with a NOA.

The present invention provides a micro- or nano-fluidic chip fabricated with a NOA.

The invention provides a micro- or nano-fluidic chip comprising sequentially an inlet, a channel, and an outlet, wherein the channel has pillars in the region of the outlet to prevent beads from flowing out.

The invention provides a micro- or nano-fluidic chip wherein the channel of the inner surface of the fluidic chip fabricated with a NOA is treated with oxygen plasma.

The invention provides a bioanalysis platform comprising a micro- or nano-fluidic chip packed with beads.

The invention provides a bioanalysis service platform, wherein proteins are immobilized on the beads.

The invention provides a method for fabricating a micro- or nano-fluidic chip with a NOA comprising sequentially an inlet, a channel, and an outlet, which comprises the steps of: fabricating channel layer by pouring a NOA over a master mold and curing it; fabricating top cover layer by coating NOA on a film with punched holes corresponding to the inlet and the outlet of the channel and curing it; and bonding the channel layer and the top cover layer on a hot plate and curing them.

The invention provides the method for fabricating a micro or nanofluidic chip, further comprising a step of treating the surface of the channel layer with oxygen plasma.

The surface of channels in the micro- or nano-fluidic chip of the invention is hydrophilic, which generates spontaneous flow in the channels by a capillary force without any extra external pumping. The surface of channels in the NOA micro- or nano-fluidic chip of the invention is treated with oxygen plasma to introduce permanent hydrophilicity.

In the invention, the channels in NOA microfluidic chip are packed with protein-immobilized beads by a capillary force and gravity without any extra external pumping to produce a bioanalysis platform.

The NOA (Norland Optical Adhesive, brand name of Norland Products Inc.) is an acrylated polyurethane-based, clear, colorless, and liquid photopolymerizable polymer compound, which can cure when exposed to ultraviolet light. The NOA is available from Norland Products Inc.