# US 2019/0170737 A1 · Systems including janus droplets

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2019/0170737 A1
- Document ID: US20190170737A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/202,007
- Filed: 2018-11-27
- Published: 2019-06-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-09-19
- Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Applicants: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Inventors: Timothy M. Swager; Hadley Sikes Johnson; Qifan Zhang; Eric Alexander Miller; Lukas Zeininger; Ki-Joo Sung; Kosuke Yoshinaga
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170737A1

## CPC

- G01N 33/5432: {Liposomes or microcapsules}
- C12Q 1/6834: Enzymatic or biochemical coupling of nucleic acids to a solid phase
- C12Q 1/701: {Specific hybridization probes}
- G01N 21/59: Transmissivity (G01N21/25 takes precedence)
- G01N 21/77: by observing the effect on a chemical indicator
- G01N 33/54366: {Apparatus specially adapted for solid-phase testing}
- G01N 33/56983: {Viruses}
- G01N 21/78: producing a change of colour
- G01N 2021/7783: {Transmission, loss}
- G01N 2201/0221: Portable; cableless; compact; hand-held
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)
- C12Q: MEASURING OR TESTING PROCESSES INVOLVING ENZYMES, NUCLEIC ACIDS OR MICROORGANISMS (immunoassay G01N33/53); COMPOSITIONS OR TEST PAPERS THEREFOR; PROCESSES OF PREPARING SUCH COMPOSITIONS; CONDITION-RESPONSIVE CONTROL IN MICROBIOLOGICAL OR ENZYMOLOGICAL PROCESSES

## Abstract

Embodiments described herein may be useful in the detection of analytes. The systems and methods may allow for a relatively simple and rapid way for detecting analytes such as chemical and/or biological analytes and may be useful in numerous applications including sensing, food manufacturing, medical diagnostics, performance materials, dynamic lenses, water monitoring, environmental monitoring, detection of proteins, detection of DNA, among other applications. For example, the systems and methods described herein may be used for determining the presence of a contaminant such as bacteria (e.g., detecting pathogenic bacteria in food and water samples which helps to prevent widespread infection, illness, and even death). Advantageously, the systems and methods described herein may not have the drawbacks in current detection technologies including, for example, relatively high costs, long enrichment steps and analysis times, and/or the need for extensive user training. Another advantageous feature provided by the systems and methods described herein includes fabrication in a relatively large scale. In some embodiments, the systems and methods may be used in conjunction with a detector including handheld detectors incorporated with, for example, smartphones (e.g., for the on-site detection of analytes such as pathogenic bacteria).

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-40. (canceled)

### Claim 41

A system comprising:
a plurality of Janus droplets associated with a plurality of binding moieties to a virus; and
a detector positioned relative to the plurality of Janus droplets such that when sufficient numbers of the binding moieties bind to the virus at least a portion of the plurality of Janus droplets are changed in orientation sufficient to change electromagnetic radiation interacting with the Janus droplets in a manner determinable by the detector.

### Claim 42

A method for determining the presence of a virus, comprising:
exposing, to an article comprising an outer phase and a plurality of Janus droplets dispersed within the outer phase, a sample suspected of containing the virus, wherein the virus, if present, interacts with at least a portion of the article such that at least a portion of the plurality of Janus droplets change orientation thereby producing a detectable change in an optical property of the article; and
determining the detectable change.

### Claim 43 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein each Janus droplet comprises a first phase and a second phase, immiscible with the first phase.

### Claim 44 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein the outer phase is an aqueous phase.

### Claim 45 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein the first phase comprises a hydrocarbon, a fluorocarbon, a silicone, a liquid crystal, an ionic liquid, a polymer, combinations thereof, or derivatives thereof.

### Claim 46 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein the second phase comprises a hydrocarbon, a fluorocarbon, a silicone, a liquid crystal, an ionic liquid, a polymer, combinations thereof, or derivatives thereof, immiscible with the first phase.

### Claim 47 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein the amphiphilic compound is selected from the group consisting of: ionic surfactants, non-ionic surfactants, zwitterionic surfactants, polymers, block copolymers, proteins, DNA, RNA, acids, carbohydrates, saccharides, enzymes, chromophores, lipids, graphene oxide, combinations thereof, nanoparticles, and derivatives thereof.

### Claim 48 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein an interface between the outer phase and the plurality of Janus droplets comprises the amphiphilic compound.

### Claim 49 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein upon binding to the binding moieties, at least a portion of the plurality of Janus droplets agglutinate.

### Claim 50 (depends on 40)

A system as in claim 40, wherein, prior to binding to the binding moieties, the plurality of Janus droplets are oriented such that at least a portion of interfaces between a first phase and a second phase within each Janus droplet are aligned parallel with respect to one another.