Multichannel control in microfluidics
OwnerAlexander Sassi, Aran Paulusinventors
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Abstract
Microfluidic devices are provided where barriers are introduced between different compartments of the device to prevent fluid flow between the two compartments. Different materials and methods are employed for the introduction and removal of the barriers, including reversible gel particle expansion, reversible gellation, in situ polymerization, magnetic beads, and the like. In this way mixing of agents may be temporally controlled during the operation of the device, where the barriers may be used in a passive manner or as an active agent involved in the operation being performed in the device.
Claims24
A method to create a barrier to flow in a microfluidic device, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a photopolymerizable material in an intersection formed between a first and second microchannel in the device, and
- forming a localized gel by photopolymerization at the intersection, wherein the gel acts to create a barrier to flow in the intersection.
A microfluidic device comprising:
- a first microchannel;
- a second microchannel intersecting the first microchannel;
- and
- a localized, photopolymerized gel filling the volume formed by intersection of the first and second microchannels.
A method of effecting reactions in a microfluidic network, wherein the network comprises first and second microchannels intersecting at an angle, the method comprising:
- filling the first and second microchannels with a photopolymerizable mixture;
- illuminating an area of the intersection to cause localized gel photopolymerization at the intersection;
- removing the unpolymerized mixture from the first and second microchannels;
- introducing a reaction mixture into the first microchannel;
- effecting a reaction in the first microchannel;
- moving products of the reaction by electrophoresis through the gel contained in the intersection and into the second microchannel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.