Microfluidic chips

A method of separating volumes of liquid within a microfluidic channel, comprising:

• loading an aqueous fluid into the microfluidic channel of a microfluidic chip, said microfluidic chip comprising:
• an inflexible material having an elastic modulus of 0.1 GPa to 450 GPa,
• a microfluidic channel formed within the inflexible material, said microfluidic channel connecting an inlet and an outlet,
• a working electrode associated with the microfluidic channel having a surface area of 1 μm2 to 60,000 μm2 within the microfluidic channel, and
• a bubble support structure formed within the microfluidic channel, wherein the working electrode is positioned to electrolytically generate a bubble which becomes associated with the bubble support structure;
• and
• applying a voltage to the working electrode to electrolytically generate a bubble from the aqueous fluid of sufficient size to separate liquid within the microfluidic channel into a plurality of volumes, wherein the bubble support structure retains the bubble at the bubble support structure within the microfluidic channel.

A microfluidic chip system, comprising:

• a microfluidic chip, comprising:
• an inflexible material having an elastic modulus of 0.1 GPa to 450 GPa,
• a microfluidic channel formed within the inflexible material, said microfluidic channel connecting an inlet and an outlet;
• a working electrode associated with the microfluidic channel having a surface area of 1 μm2 to 60,000 μm2 within the microfluidic channel;
• and
• a bubble support structure formed within the microfluidic channel, wherein the working electrode is positioned to electrolytically generate a bubble which becomes associated with the bubble support structure;
• and
• a power supply operatively associated with the working electrode.