Use of photopatterned porous polymer monoliths as passive micromixers to enhance mixing efficiency for on-chip labeling reactions.

We introduce a passive micromixer with novel architecture using photopatterned porous polymer monoliths (PPM) and demonstrate an improvement in mixing efficiency by monitoring the fluorescence of an on-chip labeling reaction. UV light was used to photopattern a periodic arrangement of PPM structures directly within the channel of a plastic microfluidic chip. By optimizing the composition of the polymerization solution and irradiation time we demonstrate the ability to photopattern PPM in regularly repeating 100 microm segments at the tee-junction of the disposable device.