Table 4.

Material advantages and disadvantages for microchip electrophoresis

Material	Advantages	Disadvantages
PDMS	Low cost Simple, rapid fabrication Ability to incorporate many electrode materials (including carbon) Easy integration of fluidic connectors	Slow, irreproducible EOF in native PDMS ○ Migration time variability ○ Difficult to electrokinetically manipulate fluid flow Adsorption of hydrophobic analytes Short lifetime (hours-days)
Glass	Strong, consistent EOF Properties similar to those of fused silica Long lifetime (months-years) Optically transparent Possibility of integrating metal electrodes Commercially available	Currently impossible to integrate carbon electrodes Costly and difficult fabrication (in-house) Fabrication involves chemical etchants Expensive commercially (in low quantities)