Microfluidics for High-Pressure Analyses

When using appropriate materials and microfabrication techniques, the small dimensionsand mechanical stability of microstructured devices allow for processes at high pressureswithout loss in safety. The largest area of applications has been demonstrated in chemistry,where extraction, synthesis and analyses often excel at high densities and high temperatures.These two parameters are accessible through high pressures. Capillary chemistry has beenused since long but, just like in low-pressure applications, there are several advantages in usingmicrofluidic platforms for control of reactions, catalysis, mixing and separation. For example,planar isothermal set-ups, large local variations in geometries, dense form factors, small deadvolumes and precisely positioned microstructures.In analytical systems, we are studying high-pressure components and microsystems forsampling, sample preparation, analyses and fractionation. We will present what drives ourresearch and development: Our experimental set-up with high-pressure pumps, high-speedcamera, sensors, valves, piston-chambers, backpressure regulators, cooling table, etc. How wehave built capability in pumping and valving by the use of stainless steel and paraffinactuation. How we are making high pressure silicon-glass and glass-glass chips with integratedelectrical thin film sensors, using printed circuit boards to ease handling of the chips andintegrating modules. A set of relevant publications are listed below