US 4,390,403 A · Method and apparatus for dielectrophoretic manipulation of chemical species

Abstract

The present invention provides method and apparatus for manipulating one or more chemicals within a reaction chamber or housing by dielectrophoretic forces. At least two materials, one of which is a chemical to be manipulated, are provided within the housing. The materials have different dielectric constants. A non-uniform electrical field is applied to the materials within the housing and, as a result of dielectrophoretic forces generated by the applied field, the relative positions of the materials are varied. Accordingly, a chemical can be selectively manipulated to different positions within the housing as, for example, to a catalyst or chemical analyzer located within the housing. The present apparatus may also be used to simultaneously manipulate more than one chemical to mix, or induce a chemical reaction, between the different chemicals in the housing.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An apparatus for dielectrophoretic manipulation of at least one chemical species including:

a housing for containing first and second materials, said first and second materials having different dielectric constants, at least one of said first and second materials corresponding to said chemical species to be manipulated,
means for applying a non-uniform electrical field to said first and second materials for varying the relative positions of said first and second materials within said housing as a result of dielectrophoretic forces resultant from said applied non-uniform electrical field to transport said at least one chemical species to at least one predetermined location within said housing for performing a selected operation on said chemical species at said predetermined location within said housing,
whereby the position of said at least one chemical species is manipulated to said predetermined location within said housing as a result of said dielectrophoretic forces applied thereto.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for dielectrophoretic manipulation of chemical species

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for dielectrophoretic manipulation of chemical species

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20