摘要：
The present invention relates to a flexible polymer-based microtube having an inner diameter
of about 4 μm to about 1000 μm and a variable outer diameter, wherein the cross- sectional
shape of the microtube can be, for instance, circular, rectangular, square, triangular, elliptical,
star or irregular. The present invention also relates to a method of making the flexible
microtube and devices incorporating the flexible microtube.
No suitable figure.
权利要求：
What is claimed is:
1. A flexible microtube comprising a polymer, the microtube having an inner diameter
of about 4µm to about 1000 p.m, and a variable outer diameter.
2. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the polymer is a silicone elastomer, an ultraviolet
sensitive polymer, a conductive polymer, polyurethane, a thermoplastic polymer, a
thermoset polymer, a polyimide, or a conductive rubber.
3. The microtube of claim 2, wherein the silicone elastomer is polydimethylsiloxane,
phenyl-vinyl silicone, methyl-siloxane, platinum cured silicone rubber or fluoro-
siloxane.
4. The microtube of claim 2, wherein the ultraviolet sensitive polymer is MYpolymer,
styrene-acrylate-containing polymer, polyacrylate polyalkoxy silane, a positive
photoresist or a negative photoresist.
5. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the microtube inner diameter is between about 10
p.m and about 800 p.m.
6. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the length of the microtube is about 10 m or less.
7. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the microtube is gas permeable.
8. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the microtube is transparent.
9. The microtube of claim 1, wherein the microtube is biocompatible.
10. A method of making a flexible microtube comprising a polymer, the method
comprising:
immersing a wire into a pool comprising heat curable polymer;
heating the wire for a first period of time, thereby initiating curing of the heat
curable polymer at the surface of the wire;
pulling the wire out of the pool;
heating the wire for a second period of time, thereby curing additional heat
curable polymer and producing a polymer coated wire;
immersing the polymer coated wire in a liquid bath with sonication, thereby
loosening the polymer-wire contact;
removing the wire from the polymer coated wire, thereby producing a
polymeric microtube; and
heating the polymeric microtube, thereby producing the flexible microtube of
claim 1.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein
the heating for a first period of time is performed via electric current along the
wire,
the heating for a second period of time is performed via a hot air heating
element,
the liquid bath is an acetone bath, and
the heating of the polymeric microtube is performed via baking.
12. A method of making a flexible microtube comprising a polymer, the method
comprising:
immersing a wire into a pool comprising a pre-cured ultraviolet-curable
polymer;
pulling the wire out of the pool and into an argon chamber;
curing a layer of ultraviolet-curable polymer coated around the wire under an
ultraviolet mercury lamp, thereby producing a polymer coated wire;
immersing the polymer coated wire in a liquid bath with sonication, thereby
loosening the polymer-wire contact;
removing the wire from the polymer coated wire, thereby producing a
polymeric microtube; and
heating the polymeric microtube, thereby producing the flexible microtube of
claim 1.
13. A device comprising the microtube of claim 1.
14. The device of claim 13, wherein the device is a biomedical device.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein the biomedical device is an artificial skin, organ-on-
chip, blood vessel mimicking device, capillary network mimicking device, opto-
microfluidic device, a 3D bioreactor, drug delivery device, cell stretcher, tissue
engineering scaffold, micro-pump or micro-valve.
16. The microtube of one of claims 1-9, wherein the microtube has a circular, rectangular,
square, triangular, elliptical, star or irregular cross-sectional shape.