Patent ID: 7919055

Claim:
A method of forming a sealed channel ( 125 ) in the surface of a sheet with a width and length, constituting a reactor block and made of a material having a certain extent of plasticity for a microfluidic reactor, comprising the steps of (a) bringing the machining surface of a tool having a rolling machining surface into contact with a first point of the channel ( 125 ) to be formed in the surface of the sheet constituting the reactor block ( 120 ; 220 ); (b) pressing said machining surface into the surface of the sheet with a compressive force (F) required to create the depth of the channel ( 125 ) to be formed, whereby the plastic material being squeezed out and becoming raised from the sheet surface along the peripheries of a depression being formed; (c) while maintaining the compressive force (F), displacing said machining surface along the centerline of the channel ( 125 ) over the sheet surface by rolling it from the first point of the channel ( 125 ) to be formed to a second point thereof, whereby the channel ( 125 ) being machined in the material of the sheet and sealing edges ( 127 ) being created along the peripheries of the channel ( 125 ) from the material squeezed out and become raised; (d) arranging a closing member ( 130 ; 230 ) at the surface of the sheet provided with the channel ( 125 ) and the sealing edges ( 127 ) to bear against the sealing edges ( 127 ); (e) pressing said closing member ( 130 ; 230 ) onto the sheet by a compressive force required to deform said sealing edges ( 127 ) and fixing it in the position obtained, whereby a sealed channel ( 125 ) running between the first and second points being formed within the reactor block ( 120 ; 220 ), characterized in that in step (c) the displacing of said machining surface takes place in accordance with a channel structure of a desired pattern comprising at least one channel extending along both of the width and length of said sheet.