As the demand for rapid, accurate diagnostics and miniaturized lab-on-chip platforms continues to grow, so does the need for engineered materials that are precise, biocompatible, and high-performance. Microfluidic devices used in applications like molecular diagnostics, point-of-care testing, and lateral flow assays, rely on highly specialized films to function reliably in critical healthcare settings.
As a Solventum Premier Converter, we have access to a suite of high-performance microfluidic films designed specifically to meet the complex requirements of medical device manufacturers.
The Role of Films and Engineered Materials in Microfluidic Devices
Microfluidic films and adhesives are more than just substrates—they play integral roles in enabling capillary flow, sealing fluid channels, protecting sensitive reagents, and facilitating optical readouts. In multilayer diagnostic cartridges or disposable test strips, films must maintain dimensional stability, resist moisture, support biocompatibility, and deliver consistent performance across millions of uses.
Solventum’s portfolio includes a range of films with tailored adhesive systems, thicknesses, and surface chemistries. Below is an overview of some of their most commonly used microfluidic materials:
9793R – Clear Polyolefin Film with Acrylate Adhesive
A transparent polyolefin film with a single-sided acrylate adhesive. This material offers optical clarity, conformability, and reliable adhesion to common substrates. It’s commonly used as a sealing film in microfluidic assemblies requiring visual inspection or light-based detection.
- Applications: Sealing microchannels, optical windows, chip covers
- Features: Transparent, flexible, bio-assay compatible
9795R – Clear BOPP with Silicone Adhesive (Delayed Tack)
Designed for high-transparency applications, 9795R is a clear BOPP film coated with a low-tack silicone adhesive. Its excellent optical properties (over 90% light transmission) and minimal autofluorescence make it ideal for devices that rely on light-based sensing.
- Applications: Optical detection zones, PCR diagnostics, sealed lab-on-chip
- Features: Low autofluorescence, silicone adhesive, delayed tack adhesion allows repositionable during application, designed for more challenging use cases, biocompatibility
9795T – PET Film with Silicone Adhesive
A thicker variation of 9795R, this film is similarly coated with a silicone adhesive but offers a stiffer 7 mil backing to reduce deformation during use. It is particularly useful in devices requiring rigid constructions to prevent bulging or bending during use.
- Applications: Optical detection zones, PCR diagnostics, sealed lab-on-chip
- Features: Transparent backing, stiffer backing reduces deformation in use, same performance benefits as 9795R
9795WT – White PET Film with Silicone Adhesive
A white variation of 9795T, this film is similarly coated with a silicone adhesive but offers visual contrast for applications that benefit from opacity. It is particularly useful in devices requiring printed markings or opaque channel backgrounds.
- Applications: Printed cartridges, device labeling layers, PCR diagnostics, sealed lab-on-chip
- Features: White opaque 7 mil backing, stiffer backing reduces deformation in use, same performance benefits as 9795R
9969 – Specialty Adhesive Film for Layering
Transfer tape especially useful when combined with other films to produce die cut strips and chips. 9969 is often used in combination with other materials like hydrophilic films to create custom multilayer structures. It can serve as a intermediate adhesive layer to bond devices together.
- Applications: Custom cartridge construction, clean easy die cutting
- Features: Facilitates composite layer builds, bonds devices together
9972A – Double-Sided Acrylic Tape for Spacers and Sealing
9972A is a thicker polyester film coated on both sides with a biocompatible acrylic adhesive. It’s designed to function as a spacer in microfluidic devices—defining channel height and providing durable, leak-proof seals.
- Applications: Spacer layers, sample containment, test strip assembly
- Features: Cyto-compatible, non-hemolytic, consistent thickness control
9965 – White PET Film with Dual-Sided Acrylate Adhesive
This film features a white polyester base coated on both sides with a acrylate adhesive. The tape construction is designed to be die-cut to form microfluidic channels and other features, making it ideal for layered diagnostic platforms such as chips and strips.
- Applications: ELISA devices, moisture control layers, multilayer builds
- Features: Dual-sided adhesion, die-cuttable spacer tape used to form microfluidics, white contrast backing
🧬 Enabling Innovation in Diagnostics and Life Sciences
Solventum’s microfluidic film materials are widely used in:
- Molecular Diagnostics: Materials like 9795R, 9795T are ideal for nucleic acid testing platforms that require clear, low-fluorescence windows for optical signal detection.
- Point-of-Care Devices: Tapes such as 9793R and 9965 provide structural integrity and fluid control for at-home and rapid diagnostic tests.
- Lab-on-a-Chip Platforms: Multilayer designs incorporating 9969 and 9972A enable custom channel architecture and adhesive bonding between layers.
- Lateral Flow Assays: White films like 9965 and 9795WT enhance contrast for visual interpretation, while sealing devices to prevent leakage help manage sample migration.
✅ Why Material Choice Matters
Choosing the right film is critical to the performance and reliability of any microfluidic device. Factors such as optical clarity, adhesion strength, moisture resistance, and biocompatibility can determine whether a test performs accurately in real-world conditions.
Why Choose ADDEV Materials Healthcare?
Backed by decades of experience in medical materials and precision converting, we partner with you through every stage of device development. From concept to cleanroom production, our capabilities are built to meet the demands of healthcare innovation.
- Custom laminating, slitting, die-cutting, and layering
- Material selection support based on functional needs
- FDA-registered facility and ISO 13485:2016 certified processes
- Access to materialsfrom trusted global suppliers