ABSTRACT
Polymers are likely to be the most widely used substrate materials because of their low cost. Since microfluidic systems first came into existence, silicon and glass have been used extensively as substrate materials. Titanium is a potential material for biomicroelectromechanical systems applications as it is a mechanically stable implant material known for its biocompatibility, and it is used in orthopedics due to its osteointegrative properties. Besides silicon, glass is a widely used substrate material in microsystem technology, in particular in the manufacture of micro-fluidic devices for biological analyses, as it provides beneficial structural and functional material properties. Silicon is an excellent material with good mechanical, electrical, optical, and biocompatibility properties. The well-established silicon-based microelectronics also makes silicon an excellent material for biochips with electrical controls for electroosmosis, and electrowetting. In addition to natural biopolymers, there is a wide range of polymeric materials that are highly biocompatible, such as medical grade silicone, polyvinylalcohol, polyethyleneoxide, and polyimide.
