# US 2018/0023728 A1 · Fluid-based gating mechanism with tunable multiphase selectivity and antifouling behavior

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- Number: US 2018/0023728 A1
- Document ID: US20180023728A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/549,991
- Filed: 2016-02-09
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2015-02-09
- Assignees: President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College
- Inventors: Joanna AIZENBERG; Xu HOU; Mughees KHAN; Alexander TESLER
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023728A1

## CPC

- F16K 99/0017: {Capillary or surface tension valves, e.g. using electro-wetting or electro-capillarity effects}
- F16K 2099/0084: {Chemistry or biology, e.g. "lab-on-a-chip" technology}
- F16K: VALVES; TAPS; COCKS; ACTUATING-FLOATS; DEVICES FOR VENTING OR AERATING {(devices for emptying and evacuating the excess liquid in valves or conduits F16L55/07)}

## Abstract

A gating mechanism that uses a capillary stabilized liquid as a reversible, reconfigurable gate that fills and seals pores in the closed state, and creates a non-fouling, liquid-lined pore in the open state is disclosed. Theoretical modeling and experiments demonstrate that for each transport substance, the gating threshold—the pressure needed to open the pores—can be rationally tuned over a wide pressure range. This enables realizing in one system differential response profiles for a variety of liquids and gases, even letting liquids flow through the pore while preventing gas from escaping. These capabilities allow dynamic modulation of gas-liquid sorting and to separate multi-phase mixtures, with the liquid lining ensuring sustained antifouling behavior. Because the liquid gating strategy enables efficient short-term and long-term operation and can be applied to a variety of pore structures and membrane materials, and to nano, micro as well as macroscale fluid systems, the gating systems is useful in a wide range of applications.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A gating membrane device comprising:
a membrane comprising a plurality of pores, wherein at least one pore of said plurality of pores has a continuous path that traverses a thickness of the membrane, the membrane positioned and arranged to permit a transport fluid to traverse the membrane thickness;
a wetting liquid filling the at least one pore of said plurality of pores,
wherein the wetting liquid partially displaces above a threshold pressure applied across said at least one pore to allow transport of the transport fluid through the membrane while contacting the wetting liquid,
wherein the wetting liquid is selected to be immiscible with the transport fluid, and
wherein the wetting liquid refills the at least one pore and gate transport of the transport fluid across the membrane below the threshold pressure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the membrane is a polymer, a ceramic, a composite or a metal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, further comprising an inlet and an outlet.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the membrane comprises a fluidic channel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The gating membrane device of claim 4, wherein the fluidic channel is a nanofluidic or microfluidic or a macrofluidic channel.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The gating membrane device of claim 4, further comprising an inlet connected to the fluidic channel, an outlet connected to the fluidic channel, and a relief port.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein said plurality of pores comprises an average pore size that ranges from 10 nm to 100 microns.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the wetting liquid is immiscible with the transport fluid.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the wetting liquid has a higher affinity to the porous membrane than the transport fluid.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the transport fluid comprises a mixture of different phases that traverse the membrane at different threshold pressures.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the gating membrane device is antifouling.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the transport fluid transports through the at least one pore without contacting the surfaces of the membrane defining the plurality of pores.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the wetting liquid covers at least a portion of the top and bottom surfaces of the membrane.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The gating membrane device of claim 1, wherein the wetting liquid is disposed within the membrane.

### Claim 15

A method for transporting a fluid across a membrane comprising;
providing a membrane comprising a plurality of pores and a wetting liquid,
wherein at least one pore of said plurality of pores has a continuous path that traverses a thickness of the membrane,
wherein the membrane is positioned and arranged to permit a transport fluid to traverse the membrane thickness,
wherein the wetting liquid fills the at least one pore of said plurality of pores, and
wherein the wetting liquid is selected to be immiscible with the transport fluid;
applying a pressure above a threshold pressure across the membrane to displace the wetting liquid in said at least one pore and to transport the transport fluid through said membrane, wherein the transport fluid contacts the wetting liquid; and
lowering the pressure to a pressure below the threshold pressure to allow the wetting liquid to refill the at least one pore.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the membrane is a polymer, a ceramic, a composite or a metal.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
providing an inlet to apply said pressure and an outlet to receive the transport fluid which traversed across the membrane.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the membrane comprises a fluidic channel

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the fluidic channel is a nanofluidic, microfluidic or a macrofluidic channel

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, further comprising:
providing an inlet to the fluidic channel;
providing an outlet to the fluidic channel, and
providing a relief port.

### Claim 21 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein said plurality of pores comprises an average pore size that ranges from 10 nm to 100 microns.

### Claim 22 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the wetting liquid is immiscible with the transport fluid.

### Claim 23 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the wetting liquid has a higher affinity to the porous membrane than the transport fluid.

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the transport fluid comprises a mixture of different phases that traverse the membrane at different threshold pressures.

### Claim 25 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the membrane is antifouling.

### Claim 26 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the transport fluid transports through the pore without contacting the surfaces of the membrane defining the plurality of pores.

### Claim 27 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the wetting liquid covers at least a portion of the top and bottom surfaces of the membrane.

### Claim 28 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the wetting liquid is disposed within the membrane.