A COMPONENT FOR USE IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE, A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A COMPONENT FOR USE IN A THREE-DIMENSIONAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICE

摘要

A component (2, 3) for use in a three-dimensional microfluidic device, characterized in that it comprises: · at least one layer (1) which is manufactured by causing a hydrophobic substance (21, 22) to permeate a porous material (24) so that the hydrophobic substance (21, 22) is absorbed into the porous material (24) of the layer (1) in such a way as to delimit at least one boundary (22) of a channel (K) free of the hydrophobic substance; and • at least one channel floor and/or ceiling area (51, 81) which is at least partially on top of, or which extends to the top of, an above-mentioned channel (K), and which is manufactured by spreading a hydrophobic substance (51, 81) on the surface of the material (24) of a mentioned layer (1) so that the floor area (L) forms at its location a barrier to the advance of fluid below the layer (1) and/or that the ceiling area (M) forms at its location a barrier to the advance of fluid above the layer (1). The patent application also contains an independent claim for a three-dimensional microfluidic device and a method of manufacturing a component for use in a three-dimensional microfluidic device.