JP2006061835A - Micro-fluid chip device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a micro-fluid chip device which is easily manufactured with a simple constitution and easily permits temperature adjustment. <P>SOLUTION: The micro-fluid chip device is constituted so that a micro-fluid chip main body 10 has a pair of main surfaces opposed to each other and has a treating flow path 11 of micro cross-section on one main surface of them, wherein a cover body 30 with which the treating flow path is covered is disposed on the one main surface, at least two kinds of raw liquid are supplied from an edge side of the flow path and treated liquid having been subjected to the desired treatment with respect to the respective raw liquid is obtained from the other edge side of the treating flow path. In the micro-fluid chip main body 10, flow paths 14a, 14b for raw liquid which allows the respective raw water to individually flow are disposed on the other main surface side opposed to the one main surface, at the same time, a cover body 50 with which the respective flow paths for raw water are covered is disposed and a temperature adjusting means 90 for adjusting temperatures of the respective raw liquid flowing through the respective flow paths for the raw water is disposed on the cover body 50 with which the respective flow paths for the raw liquid are covered. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention provides a microfluidic chip body having a processing channel with a minute cross section on one main surface, and a lid covering the processing channel on the main surface, and supplies at least two types of stock solutions from one end side of the channel In addition, the present invention relates to a microfluidic chip device that obtains a processed liquid in which a desired process has been completed for each stock solution from the other end side of the processing channel.

  A microfluidic chip device is a device in which a microfluidic chip main body has a minute flow path of several μm to several hundred μm, and performs mixing and reaction of liquid in the flow path. Within this, the Reynolds number of the liquid becomes several hundred or less, and it becomes a world of laminar flow control, not turbulent flow control like a conventional reactor.

  Since the liquid under the laminar flow is more influenced by the viscosity than the inertia, it is difficult to feed the high viscosity liquid. In addition, the amount of liquid in the flow path is very small, so high-speed mixing and reaction are possible, but the temperature of the liquid rises rapidly due to exothermic reaction, etc. There is also a problem that the rate decreases.

  In order to cope with such a problem, the microfluidic chip device needs a temperature adjusting function. In the following Patent Document 1, a microfluidic device is provided with a flow path meandering in the thickness direction of the microfluidic chip body. It has been proposed to adjust the temperature by heating and cooling from both main surfaces of the chip body.

JP 2004-130219 A

  Since the conventional technology has a structure in which a plurality of thin plates are stacked to form a flow path, a high level of technology is required for joining the thin plates. Moreover, since temperature distribution (temperature difference) is provided in the thickness direction of the microfluidic chip body, there is a problem that temperature setting is not easy.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a microfluidic chip device that can be easily manufactured with a simple structure and can be easily adjusted in temperature.

  A feature of the present invention that achieves the above object is that a microfluidic chip body having a pair of opposing main surfaces and having a processing channel with a micro-section on one main surface is provided on the one main surface. A lid that covers the processing flow path is provided, and at least two types of stock solutions are supplied from one end of the flow path to obtain a processed liquid in which a desired process has been completed for each stock solution from the other end of the processing flow path. In the microfluidic chip device, the microfluidic chip main body is provided with a stock solution flow path for individually flowing the stock solution on the other main surface side facing the one main surface, and a lid covering the stock solution flow path. The temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of each stock solution flowing through each stock solution flow path is provided on the lid that covers each stock solution flow path.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a microfluidic chip device that has a simple configuration and is easy to manufacture and easy to adjust temperature.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the microfluidic chip device will be described.

  Hereinafter, a microfluidic chip device that mixes two kinds of liquids will be illustrated and described as an embodiment of the microfluidic chip device of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the microfluidic chip device 1, 10 is a microfluidic chip body, 30 is a lid that covers the surface (one main surface) of the microfluidic chip body 10, and 50 is the back surface of the microfluidic chip body 10 ( It is a lid that covers the other main surface facing one main surface. Reference numeral 70 denotes a temperature adjusting means provided on the lid 30, and 90 denotes a temperature adjusting means provided on the lid 50.

  A surface (one main surface) of the microfluidic chip body 10 has a Y-shaped processing flow path 11 as shown in FIGS. The processing flow path 11 is formed surrounded by a protrusion 12 having a height of 200 μm. The processing flow path 11 includes two stock solution flow path portions 11a and 11b, a processing flow path portion 11c, and a merging portion 11d.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the back surface (other main surface) of the microfluidic chip 10 has two substantially hexagonal stock solution channels 14a and 14b. Each of the stock solution channels 14a and 14b is formed surrounded by projections 15a and 15b having a height of 200 μm. The processing flow path 11 and the stock solution flow paths 14a and 14b are covered with lid bodies 30 and 50 to form a culvert type flow path.

  The processing flow channel 11 and the stock solution flow channels 14a and 14b are microscopically formed at the tip portions of the stock solution flow channel portions 11a and 11b in the processing flow channel 11 (upper end portions opposite to the confluence portion 11d in each figure). The fluid chip body 10 communicates with the front and back surfaces of the fluid chips 10 through openings 17a and 17b.

  Each stock solution flow path 14a, from the outer surface side (right side in FIG. 1) of the end of each stock solution flow path 14a, 14b opposite to the openings 17a, 17b (the lower end in each figure). Openings 51 a and 51 b communicating with 14 b are provided, and the stock solution supply plugs 53 a and 53 b are provided on the outer surface side of the lid 50 in the openings 51 a and 51 b.

  The microfluidic chip body 10 has an opening penetrating the back surface side (the right side in FIG. 1) at the end of the processing channel 11c of the processing channel 11 (the lower end opposite to the confluence 11d in each figure). 21 is provided, and the surface portion of the opening 21 surrounded by the protrusion 22 having a height of 200 μm on the back surface side is a treated liquid discharge port 23.

  The lid 50 is provided with an opening 55 that communicates with the treated liquid discharge port 23 from the outer surface side. The lid 50 is provided with a treated liquid discharge plug 56 that discharges the treated liquid on the outer surface side. is there.

  The temperature adjusting means 70 and 90 each include an electric heater such as a silicon rubber heater or a nichrome wire and a refrigerant flow path, and the electric heater is provided with electric power via wires 71 and 91, and the refrigerant flow path is provided with a supply plug 72, By supplying the refrigerant from 92, the temperature of the liquid flowing through the microfluidic chip body 10 can be adjusted from -10 ° C to 80 ° C. Temperature sensors 100a and 100b are provided in the vicinity of the openings 17a and 17b to check the temperature of the stock solution. In addition, since supply control of electric power and a refrigerant | coolant is not the theme of this invention, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  Although the microfluidic chip body 10 is made of stainless steel having a thickness of 4 mm, a plate material having a thickness of several mm such as metal, glass, silicon, or resin is appropriately selected and used depending on the type of liquid to be processed. The thickness of the member is preferably thin from the viewpoint of heat conduction, and thicker from the viewpoint of easy passage processing on both surfaces. The thickness is appropriately determined according to the condition of liquid feeding, the output of the temperature adjusting means 70 and 90, and the like.

  The lids 30 and 50 are made of stainless steel in the same manner as the microfluidic chip main body 10, and the surface in contact with the microfluidic chip main body 10 is coated with PTFE (fluororesin). The microfluidic chip body 10 and the lids 30 and 50 are fastened through M3 screws in 10 screw holes. At this time, the protrusions 12, 15a, 15b, 22 and the like on the chip 10 of the microfluidic chip main body bite into the PTFE layer of the lids 30 and 50, and are sealed so that the liquid does not leak.

  By fastening with screws, it is not necessary to use a joining technique such as welding for assembly, and a microfluidic chip can be easily manufactured. Further, even if the inside of the flow path is contaminated by liquid processing, the micro flow path can be easily cleaned because the screw can be removed and disassembled.

  In the present embodiment, the sealing method as described above is used, but other methods such as sandwiching a soft packing such as a metal seal or rubber may be used. Further, the temperature adjusting means 70 and 90 are pressed against the lid bodies 30 and 90 by a clamp and are brought into close contact with each other.

  Next, the state of the liquid in the microfluidic chip device 1 will be described.

  Each liquid sent by a device such as a pump passes through the openings 51a and 51b from the stock solution supply plugs 53a and 53b provided in the lid 50, and the respective stock solution channels 14a and 14b on the back surface of the microfluidic chip body 10. Move to. Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the stock solution becomes a thin sheet-like flow having a thickness of 200 μm in a direction perpendicular to the thickness direction of the microfluidic chip body 10.

  As a result, the stock solution comes into contact with the lid 50 on the back surface of the microfluidic chip body 10 over a wide area, and the heat conduction distance to the temperature adjusting means 90 is extremely short, so that the stock solution quickly changes to the temperature indicated by the temperature adjusting means 90.

  As a result, if the stock solution is a high-viscosity liquid, the viscosity will be reduced by heating, and liquid feeding, mixing, and reaction will be easy.If the liquid is an exothermic reaction, the temperature of the liquid will be lowered in advance during the reaction. Thus, the generation of by-products can be prevented. At this time, the heat capacity of the temperature adjusting means 90 is preferably sufficiently larger than that of the liquid feeding liquid. Further, it is more preferable that the material of the microfluidic chip body 10 and the lid body 50 has a high thermal conductivity.

  The liquid whose temperature has been adjusted moves to the stock solution flow path portions 11a and 11b on the surface of the microfluidic chip body 10 via the openings 17a and 17b. Then, it reaches the merging portion 11d, and the liquids are mixed and reacted in the processing flow path portion 11c.

  The processing channel 11 has a channel height of 200 μm, which is the same as the stock solution channels 14 a and 14 b on the back surface of the microfluidic chip body 10, and the temperature adjusting means 70 is attached to the surface of the microfluidic chip body 10. Also in the processing flow path 11, it is possible to adjust the temperature of the liquid having high responsiveness, and it is possible to suppress the change in the liquid temperature during the liquid feeding and the change in the liquid temperature due to the heat generation and heat absorption during the reaction.

  From this, for high-viscosity liquids, heating reduces the viscosity and suppresses the pressure loss that accompanies liquid delivery, and for liquids with exothermic reactions, the liquid is cooled during the reaction to remove excess heat and the product The yield of can be improved.

  In this embodiment, a simple Y-shaped processing channel is used and the height of the channel is set to 200 μm. However, these shapes and dimensions may be changed as appropriate depending on factors such as the processing flow rate and the type of liquid to be mixed. it can.

  The liquid mixed in the processing flow path 11 is discharged from the processed liquid discharge plug 56 through the openings 21 and 55 communicating with the microfluidic chip body 10 and the lid 50.

  The microfluidic chip body 10 is manufactured by cutting each of the flow paths 11, 14 a, 14 b, 23 and the openings 17 a by forming the protrusions 12, 15 a, 15 b, 22, etc. on both surfaces of one plate-like member. , 17b, and 21 are provided, and it is not necessary to use a complicated joining technique or the like necessary for the laminated structure, and the microfluidic chip device 1 can be easily manufactured.

  In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the heating means and the cooling means are integrally incorporated in the temperature adjusting means 70 and 90 has been described. However, the member provided with the heating means and the cooling means is divided into the microfluidic members. It is good also as a thing of the structure arrange | positioned at the chip | tip main body 10 side.

  The temperature adjusting means 70 and 90 may be a combination of the lid bodies 30 and 50. The temperature adjusting means 70 may not be provided on the lid 30 as necessary.

  The temperature adjusting means 90 may be divided corresponding to each stock solution so that each stock solution flowing through each stock solution channel 14a, 14b has a temperature suitable for each property.

It is a schematic sectional drawing of a microfluidic chip device. It is a perspective view which shows the microfluidic chip main body in the microfluidic chip apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and the cover body provided in the front and back. It is a figure which shows the surface of the microfluidic chip main body in the microfluidic chip device shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows the back surface of the microfluidic chip main body in the microfluidic chip device shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the condition where a liquid flows through the microfluidic chip main body in the microfluidic chip device shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 ... Microfluidic chip device
10 ... Microfluidic chip body
11 ... Processing channel
12, 15a, 15b, 22 ... projections
14a, 14b ... Stock solution flow path
17a, 17b, 21, 51a, 51b, 55 ... opening
53a, 53b, 56 ... stopper
70, 90 ... temperature adjustment means

Claims (5)

A microfluidic chip body having a pair of opposing main surfaces and having a processing channel with a micro-section on one main surface, the microfluidic chip body having a lid covering the processing channel on the one main surface, In a microfluidic chip device that supplies at least two types of stock solutions from one end side and obtains a processed solution in which a desired process has been completed for each stock solution from the other end side of the processing flow path.
The microfluidic chip main body is provided with a flow path for a stock solution for individually flowing the stock solution on the other main surface side opposite to the one main surface, and a cover for covering the flow path for the stock solution is provided. A microfluidic chip device, characterized in that a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of each stock solution flowing through each stock solution channel is provided on a lid that covers the flow channel. The microfluidic chip device according to claim 1,
The microfluidic chip device characterized in that the temperature adjusting means is at least one of means for heating and cooling each stock solution. The microfluidic chip device according to claim 1,
The microfluidic chip body includes an opening that communicates the processing channel with one of the main solution channels on the other main surface of the microfluidic chip body on one end side of the processing channel. A microfluidic chip device. The microfluidic chip device according to claim 1,
The microfluidic chip device is characterized in that the microfluidic chip body includes a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of each stock solution flowing through each stock solution channel. The microfluidic chip device according to claim 1,
Further, a microfluidic chip device characterized in that a temperature adjusting means for adjusting the temperature of the liquid being processed flowing through the processing channel is provided on the lid body covering the processing channel.

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