# US 2021/0239649 A1 · Apparatus to measure electrophoretic mobility of a flowing sample

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- Number: US 2021/0239649 A1
- Document ID: US20210239649A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/235,925
- Filed: 2021-04-20
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-06
- Assignees: Wyatt Technology Corporation
- Applicants: Wyatt Technology Corporation
- Inventors: Hung-Te Hsieh; Steven P. Trainoff
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210239649A1

## CPC

- G01N 27/44721: {by optical means}
- B01D 15/325: {Reversed phase}
- B01D 15/34: Size-selective separation, e.g. size-exclusion chromatography; Gel filtration; Permeation
- G01N 27/44769: {Continuous electrophoresis, i.e. the sample being continuously introduced, e.g. free flow electrophoresis [FFE]}
- G01N 30/02: Column chromatography
- G01N 2015/0003: {Determining electric mobility, velocity profile, average speed or velocity of a plurality of particles}
- 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)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)

## Abstract

When measuring electrophoretic mobility it is customary to apply an electric field and determine the electrophoretic velocity while minimizing all other contributions to the particle movement. A method and apparatus for the measurement of mobility while the sample is flowing is disclosed. Combined with a fractionation system, this approach further enables the direct measurement of individual species' mobility within a multi-modal sample. Other advantages of this new mobility measurement approach include the ability to easily pressurize the sample to suppress electrolysis, mitigation of oxidation-reduction effects and efficient heat dissipation.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a fractionator configured to fractionate a sample solution comprising particles;
a fluid inlet coupled to an outlet of the fractionator and coupled to a measurement chamber,
wherein the fluid inlet is configured to introduce the sample solution into the measurement chamber;
a measurement chamber coupled configured to allow the sample solution to flow in a direction essentially parallel to a path of a laser beam transmitted through the measurement chamber;
a fluid outlet coupled to the measurement chamber,
wherein the fluid outlet is configured to allow the sample solution to exit the measurement chamber;
electrodes configured to generate an alternating electric field across the measurement chamber and essentially perpendicular to the direction; and
a concentration detector coupled to the fractionator and coupled to the measurement chamber,
wherein the concentration detector is configured to measure a concentration of each species in the sample solution, resulting in a measured concentration of the each species in the sample solution.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fractionator comprises a field flow fractionation system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fractionator comprises a size exclusion chromatography system.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fractionator comprises a reversed phase chromatography system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the fractionator comprises a reversed phase chromatography system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the concentration detector comprises a refractive index detector.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a back pressure regulator configured to provide pressurization of the sample solution within the measurement chamber.