Miniature stick-packaging - an industrial technology for pre-storage and release of reagents in lab-on-a-chip systems
14.05.2013
van Oordt T, Barb Y, Smetana J, Zengerle R, von Stetten F.
Lab Chip. 2013;13(15):2888-92
Stick-packaging of goods in tubular-shaped composite-foil pouches has become a popular technology for food and drug packaging. We miniaturized stick-packaging for use in lab-on-a-chip (LOAC) systems to prestore and on-demand release the liquid and dry reagents in a volume range of 80–500 ml. An integrated frangible seal enables the pressure-controlled release of reagents and simplifies the layout of LOAC systems, thereby making the package a functional microfluidic release unit. The frangible seal is adjusted to defined burst pressures ranging from 20 to 140 kPa. Stick-packs have been successfully tested applying recovery tests (where 99% (STDV = 1%) of 250 ml pre-stored liquid is released), long-term storage tests (where there is loss of only, 0.5% for simulated 2 years) and air transport simulation tests.
