Injection moulding of micro droplet generation thermoplastics devices

Microfluidic devices have been extensively researched and developed since 1990s. It can be applied to a wide variety of processes ranging from bioprocess optimization to nanoparticle crystallization. Hence injection moulding became a popular method to fabricate thermoplastic microfluidic devices, as it is able to rapidly produce parts in large quantities. Micromixer is a type of microfluidic device that is used to mix fluids together at the nanoscale level, hence the channels of the micromixer is a critical factor in the efficiency and quality of the fluid flow. The thermal bonding process is a bonding method commonly used in microfluidics, however, the heat from the bonding process causes deformation to the microchannels due to the residual stresses trapped in the microchannels that was induced during the injection moulding process. Therefore, the studies done in this Final Year Project is to understand how residual stresses can be reduce which in turn reduces the deformations of the microchannels and also how the effects of the cooling time parameters during the injection moulding cycle affects the deformation of the channels after thermal bonding process.Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical Engineering