Diagnostic/Life Science

M&C Specialties serves the diagnostic/life science industry as a major converter and supplier of microplate and microfluidic sealing tapes and lidding materials, converted non-migratory, inert pressure sensitive adhesive and heat seal material used for assay-type genomics, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), high-throughput screening (HTS), and compound storage applications.

Microplate & Microfluidic Sealing Tapes & Lidding Materials

A standard tool used in diagnostic testing laboratories and analytical research facilities, a microplate is flat, sealable, consumable, multi-well device used in various testing applications, including nucleic acid and protein quantification, assays, sample storage, sample filtration, and cell culture growth. Typically manufactured from plastic or glass, microplates are available in a number of industry-standard sizes, including 24-, 48-, 96-, 384-, 864-, and 1536-well plates. Components such as lids, tapes, other film products, caps, and mats are used to seal microplates during assay processing, incubation, and storage. Leveraging our expertise in film/foil converting and adhesive chemistry, M&C Specialties converts a variety of heat-activated and pressure-sensitive foil and film stocks into specialty sealing tapes and lidding materials for microplates using high-speed rotary laser cutting and other precision manufacturing methods. Medical-grade adhesives we utilize include the following types:

• Acrylic
• Silicone
• Heat-sealable
• Pressure-sensitive
• Non-tacky to the touch

Whether an application requires a single-layer or a laminated construction, M&C Specialties has proven competence in identifying the optimal materials and precise thicknesses needed to produce pierceable, leak-proof, durable sealing/lidding materials that perform well in caustic testing environments where, for example, the use of dimethyl sulfoxide and other solvents is standard. We deliver these microplate sealing tapes and lidding systems on carrier materials specifically designed for use with automated and semiautomated pick-and-place equipment; registration marks or similar visual aids are integrated into the seals and lidding in order to ensure proper orientation during assembly/filling of the microplate.

PCR Amplification & Related Applications

Our expertise in converted specialty adhesive systems for the diagnostic/microfluidics market also extends to consumables used further downstream in the diagnostic/analytical research pipeline, including sealing and lidding materials for cartridges used in PCR amplification, HTS, compound storage, and related processes. Our clients benefit from our proficiency in the selection and precision converting of foil and film materials that exhibit the unique and exacting performance features critical to this application area, including:

• Low autofluorescence
• High optical clarity
• Chemically inert extractables

Other Diagnostic/Life Science Applications

M&C Specialties’s converting capabilities in the diagnostic/life science sphere also include:

• Adhesives for capillary flow diagnostic test strips used in blood glucose, blood coagulation, cholesterol, pregnancy, ovulation, and drug-of-abuse testing
• Hydrophilic films for IVD test strips compatible with multiple reagent systems to help direct, control, and speed fluid flow
• Nitrocellulose membranes and blotting materials engineered, produced, and tested specifically for DNA, RNA, and protein analysis