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Thin PDMS films using long spin times or tert-butyl alcohol as a solvent

PLoS One. 2009;4(2):e4572. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0004572. Epub 2009 Feb 24.

Abstract

Thin polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) films are frequently used in "lab on a chip" devices as flexible membranes. The common solvent used to dilute the PDMS for thin films is hexane, but hexane can swell the underlying PDMS substrate. A better solvent would be one that dissolves uncured PDMS but doesn't swell the underlying substrate. Here, we present protocols and spin curves for two alternatives to hexane dilution: longer spin times and dilution in tert-butyl alcohol. The thickness of the PDMS membranes under different spin speeds, spin times, and PDMS concentrations was measured using an optical profilometer. The use of tert-butyl alcohol to spin thin PDMS films does not swell the underlying PDMS substrate, and we have used these films to construct multilayer PDMS devices.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes*
  • Hexanes
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Methods
  • Solvents
  • tert-Butyl Alcohol

Substances

  • Dimethylpolysiloxanes
  • Hexanes
  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Solvents
  • baysilon
  • tert-Butyl Alcohol