# US 2013/0153425 A1 · Electroosmotic pump and method of use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153425 A1 - Document ID: US20130153425A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/326,653 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Inventors: Christopher Michael Puleo; Christopher Fred Keimel; Xiaohui Chen; Ralf Lenigk; Craig Patrick Galligan; Todd Frederick Miller - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153425A1 ## CPC - F04B 19/04: Pumps for special use - F04B 19/006: {Micropumps (F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence)} - F04B: POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS (machines for liquids, or pumps, of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston type F04C; non-positive-displacement pumps F04D; pumping of fluid by direct contact of another fluid or by using inertia of fluid to be pumped F04F) ## Abstract An electroosmotic pump comprises a plurality of membranes comprising one or more positive electroosmotic membranes and one or more negative electroosmotic membranes, a plurality of electrodes comprising cathodes and anodes, and a power source. Each of the positive electroosmotic membranes and negative electroosmotic membranes are disposed alternatively and wherein at least one of the cathodes is disposed on one side of one of the membranes and at least one of the anodes is disposed on other side of the membrane. At least one of the cathodes or anodes is disposed between a positive electroosmotic membrane and negative electroosmotic membrane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electroosmotic pump, comprising: a plurality of membranes comprising one or more positive electroosmotic membranes and one or more negative electroosmotic membranes; a plurality of electrodes comprising cathodes and anodes, and a power source; wherein each of the positive electroosmotic membranes and negative electroosmotic membranes are disposed alternatively and wherein at least one of the cathodes is disposed on one side of one of the membranes and at least one of the anodes is disposed on other side of the membrane and wherein at least one of the cathodes or anodes is disposed between a positive electroosmotic membrane and negative electroosmotic membrane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, configured to operate by applying an electric field of at least 100V/m across each of the membranes. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, configured to generate a pressure of at least about 0.75 PSI. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the membranes are nanoporous. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The electroosmotic pump of claim 4, wherein the nanopores have diameter between 10 to 500 nm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the membranes have a thickness of about 10 nm to 10 mm. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, comprising 2 to 100 membranes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the membranes comprise tungsten oxide, vanadium oxide, silicon dioxide, silicates, silicon carbide, tantalum oxide, hafnium oxide, tin oxide, manganese oxide, titanium oxide, silicon nitride, chromium oxide, aluminum oxide, zinc oxide, nickel oxide, magnesium oxide and combinations thereof. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the positive electroosmotic membrane comprises silica or silicate materials. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the negative electroosmotic membrane comprises alumina materials. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the membranes comprise polymers, selected from PDMS, COC, PMMA, PC and combinations thereof. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the electrodes are macroporous materials or thin films. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the electrodes comprise a macroporous metal, conductive polymer, redox polymer, redox metal salt, metal oxide and combinations thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the electrodes and the membranes are configured to generate a transverse fluid flow through the membranes. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1 is further configured to provide a pumping pressure that is proportional to a number of membranes in the electroosmotic pump. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1 is further configured to provide a stack of two or more units of electroosmotic pumps, wherein a unit electroosmotic pump comprises one positive electroosmotic membrane and one negative electroosmotic membrane, at least a cathode and an anode and a power source, wherein the two or more unit of electroosmotic pumps are operatively coupled in parallel. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The electroosmotic pump of claim 16 is further configured to provide a fluid-flow, wherein a flow rate that is proportional to a number of the electroosmotic pump units in parallel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The electroosmotic pump of claim 1, wherein the membranes are further operatively connected to at least two reservoirs comprising fluids. ### Claim 19 An electroosmotic pump, comprising: a plurality membranes comprising positive electroosmotic membranes and negative electroosmotic membranes, wherein each of the positive electroosmotic membranes and negative electroosmotic membranes are disposed alternatively; a plurality of electrodes comprising cathodes and anodes, wherein at least one of the cathodes is disposed on one side of one of the membranes and at least one of the anodes is disposed on other side of the membrane and wherein at least one of the cathodes or anodes is disposed between a positive electroosmotic membrane and negative electroosmotic membrane, and a power source to provide a voltage between about 0.1 to 25 volts, wherein the membranes and electrodes are operably coupled to the power source to generate a pressure of at least about 0.75 PSI.