A fast and reliable way to establish fluidic connections to planar microchips

In this work, we present a non-permanent method to connect microfluidic devices. The approach uses short flexible tubes that are plugged into bottom-flat holes and ensure fast and reliable interconnections. The small available dimensions allow the tube to be directly attached to the side of planar microchips. A theoretical model to estimate the maximum applicable pressure was developed, and verified with experimental data. Furthermore, the tube connections were compared to other non-permanent interconnection types. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)