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NanoFab Tool: PDMS Casting Station

pdms_casting

The CNST NanoFab PDMS casting station consists of a Hamilton Safeaire fume hood which houses a Smart Coater 100 spinner, a Dataplate digital hot plate, an Ohaus Scout Pro digital scale, and two Bel-Art desiccators. The casting station provides users with all of the tools necessary to mix, de-gas, cast and bake elastomeric polymers, primarily polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to replicate master molds using spin-cast and drop-cast techniques. All tools in the casting station can accommodate substrates ranging from 150 mm wafers down to small pieces.

Specifications/Capabilities

Smart Coater 100:

  • Maximum spin speed: 10,000 rpm.
  • Maximum acceleration: 10,000 rpm per second.
  • Time resolution: 0.1 second.
  • 100 spin programs can be defined and saved for future use.

Dataplate 731 Hotplate:

  • Temperature Range: room temperature to 370 °C.
  • Maximum stirring speed: 1500 RPM.
  • Platform Dimensions: 185 mm square.

Ohaus Scout Pro Scale:

  • Max weight: 600 g.
  • Resolution: 0.1 g.
  • Stabilization time: 3 seconds.

Usage Information

Supported Sample Sizes

  • Maximum wafer diameter: 150 mm (6 in).
  • Small pieces supported: Yes.

Typical Applications

  • Generation of Microfluidic devices.
  • Lab on Chip (LoC).
  • Microchips for drug screening.
Created February 11, 2015, Updated March 3, 2025
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