Microfluidic apparatus having a vaporizer and method of using same

An apparatus for performing microchemistry having:—

• (a) a vapour permeable microfluidic chip structure having:—
• a supply conduit enclosed in the chip structure having first and second opposed ends to enable first and second fluid materials to interact by flowing the first and second fluid materials towards one another from the opposed ends of the supply conduit, and
• a valve mechanism in the chip structure operable to open and close the supply conduit at an intermediate position located between the first and second ends thereof whereby the chip structure is sequentially movable from a filling state in which the intermediate position is closed to enable the fluid materials to be blind-filled in the supply conduit on opposed sides of the intermediate position and an interaction state in which the intermediate position is open to enable the fluid materials to interact in the supply conduit,
• wherein the valve mechanism is such that it operates to re-close the supply conduit at the intermediate position in the interaction state if evaporation from the supply conduit of the chip structure is not compensated for;
• and
• (b) a compensation mechanism for compensating for evaporation from the supply conduit of the chip structure to prevent re-closure of the supply conduit at the intermediate position in the interaction state of the chip structure.

A method of interacting first and second fluid materials comprising the steps of:—

• providing a vapour permeable microfluidic chip structure having a supply conduit and a valve mechanism to selectively close off the supply conduit at an intermediate position;
• operating the valve mechanism to close the supply conduit at the intermediate position thereof;
• blind filling the supply conduit with the first and second fluid materials on opposite sides of the intermediate position;
• operating the valve mechanism to open the supply conduit at the intermediate position to cause the first and second fluid materials to interact;
• and
• forming a vaporous environment about the chip during the interaction of the fluid materials.