Microfluidic methods, devices and systems for in situ material concentration
AssigneeCaliper Technologies Corp.
InventorsRing-Ling Chien, Benjamin N. Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods of concentrating materials within microfluidic channel networks by moving materials into regions in which overall velocities of the material are reduced, resulting in stacking of the material within those reduced velocity regions. These methods, devices and systems employ static fluid interfaces to generate the differential velocities, as well as counter-current flow methods, to concentrate materials within microscale channels.
Claims51
A method of concentrating a material, comprising:
- providing at least first and second channel portions, wherein the second channel portion intersects and being in fluid communication with the first channel portion, the first channel portion having at least first and second fluid regions disposed therein, the first fluid region comprising the material and having a conductivity that is lower than the second fluid, the first and second fluids being in contact at a first substantially static interface;
- and
- applying an electric field through the first and second fluid regions in the first channel portion to concentrate the material at the first substantially static interface.
A method of concentrating a material, comprising:
- providing a first channel portion having at least first and second fluid regions disposed therein, the material having a first electrophoretic velocity in the first fluid region, and having a second electrophoretic velocity in the second fluid region, wherein the second electrophoretic velocity is less than the first electrophoretic velocity as a result of a different ionic make up of the first and second fluid regions, the first and second fluids being in contact at a first substantially static interface;
- and
- electrophoresing the sample material through the first fluid region in the first channel portion toward the second fluid region, the sample material concentrating at the first substantially static interface.
A system for concentrating a material, comprising:
- a first channel portion having a first fluid region disposed therein and a second channel portion having a second fluid region disposed therein, wherein the first and second channel regions are connected at a first fluid junction, the first fluid region comprising the material and having a conductivity that is lower than the second fluid region, the first and second fluid regions being in contact at a first substantially static fluid interface;
- and
- an electrical power supply operably coupled to the first channel portion for applying an electric field through the first and second fluid regions in the first channel portion, to concentrate the material at the first substantially static interface.
A method of concentrating a material, comprising:
- providing a first fluid conduit that is intersected by at least a second fluid conduit at a first point;
- bulk flowing a fluid through the first fluid conduit in a first direction at a first velocity;
- electrophoretically introducing a material into the first fluid conduit from the second fluid conduit;
- and
- electrophoresing the sample material in a second direction in the first conduit and at a second velocity through the fluid in the first fluid conduit, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction and the second velocity is greater than or equal to the first velocity, to concentrate the material in the first fluid conduit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.