Function and Materials Integration
The use of hybrid materials is an emerging trend combining the technological and economic advantages of integrating different materials at both component and system level. However, hybrid systems are still rarely found among microtechnology components today. This can be explained by the fact that hybrid components require that manufacturers master several different engineering and processing techniques and related materials which they cannot afford or are outside their core competencies.
The combination of technologies is therefore a solution that only a network of suppliers can provide through the combination of expertise from multiple domains. Most SME and industrial players do not have access to such solutions. Thus a key factor for Epigem and Fluence is effective participation in the MNT Network in the UK and the EU Microsystems integration service INTEGRAMplus to provide the best options for our customers wishing to implement microfluidics technology in their businesses and products.
The challenge is the integration of materials, functions and processes and managing the beneficial and disruptive consequences for industry and society. The opportunity is to create new products, supply chains and industries. The role of MNT (Micro and Nanotechnology) is the use of the properties of molecular, micro and nanotechnology in micro and macro applications for further shrinking, integration and miniaturisation of sensing (and synthesis) and actuating (and process) functions and for micro and macro systems
- MNT Technology on the whole leads to system components e.g nanoelectronics, photonics, MEMS, biomicrofluidics, polymer electronics
- Functional materials, nano & molecular technologies, microelectronics, microsystems and nano & micro biology have to be integrated and interfaced to the macroworld to create products
- MNT technologies are converging requiring heterogeneous integration and interconnection of multiple materials and multiple functions
- Large area integration ( a structure distributed over an area many orders larger) whether nano over micro or micro over metres is non-trivial in silicon, glass, metal or polymer
The challenge addressed by Fluence is deliver opportunities by combining in particular the benefits of polymers with those of silicon. The fundamental properties of polymers that lead to their selection in applications in all markets are due to the diversity of soft through to hard manufacturable shapes (complex 3D moulded shapes, transparent sheets and spheres, extruded profiles (pipes, tubing), fibres, fabric, film and foils, gels, emulsions and dispersions (paints), adhesives, sealants, encapsulants, particle, platelet and fibre filled composites, etc).
Functional polymers such as membranes, polyelectrolytes, conducting and optical polymers continue to develop and nature’s use of polymers is a continual inspiration as medical and life science research unravels the multitude of roles of proteins etc. The range of fabrication methods enable high volumes and economies of scale which when combined with their low density gives both product cost and energy saving benefits particularly in composites for transportation.
Safe breaking failure modes as well as cost has led to substitution of glass in chemical and biological laboratory consumables (microtitre plates, pipettes etc).
In electronics whilst silicon, GaAs, nitrides are preferred for electrical, optical and MEMS functions polymer resists have enabled chip fabrication and are used in various ways to package electronics (rigid and flexible PCB, conducting adhesives, underfills, glob top encapsulants etc).
It is only in very high temperatures or very harsh chemical and environmental climates that polymers give way to ceramics, metals and inorganic materials.