Patent ID: 8156762

Claim:
A method for forming a glass-containing microfluidic device having at least one fluid passage therethrough, the method comprising: providing a piece of rigid, non-stick material consisting of a porous carbon block having an open porosity of at least 5%, the porous carbon block having a patterned molding surface formed on at least one surface thereof, the patterned molding surface having open porosity and including at least one of a grooved structure and a raised structure; providing a first amount of glass-containing composition selected from the group consisting of a vitreous glass, a glass-ceramic, and a filled glass frit consisting of a glass frit and a filler; contacting the first amount of glass-containing composition with the patterned molding surface; pressing the patterned molding surface and the first amount of glass-containing composition together; heating the piece of rigid non-stick material and the first amount of glass-containing composition together sufficiently to soften the amount glass-containing composition such that the patterned molding surface is replicated in the first amount of glass-containing composition, the first amount of glass-containing composition forming a first formed glass-containing article; stacking the first formed glass-containing article with at least two additional glass-containing articles; sealing the stacked articles together by heat treatment to create a microfluidic device having at least one fluidic passage therethrough.