Method of treating materials with pulsed electrical fields

A method of treating material with pulsed electrical fields to alter, manipulate, or cause defined and controlled, permanent or temporary changes in the material, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three single, operator-controlled, independently programmed, DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to the material, wherein at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse amplitude.

A method of treating material with pulsed electrical fields to alter, manipulate, or cause defined and controlled, permanent or temporary changes in the material, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three single, operator-controlled, independently programmed, DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to the material, wherein at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse width.

A method of treating material with pulsed electrical fields to alter, manipulate, or cause defined and controlled, permanent or temporary changes in the material, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three single, operator-controlled, independently programmed, DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to the material, wherein a first pulse interval for a first set of two of the at least three pulses is different from a second pulse interval for a second set of two of the at least three pulses.

A method of treating biological cells with pulsed electrical fields to induce pore formation in the cells, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to biological cells, wherein the sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses has one, two, or three of the following characteristics:

• (1) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse amplitude;
• (2) at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse width;
• and (3) a first pulse interval for a first set of two of the at least three pulses is different from a second pulse interval for a second set of two of the at least three pulses, such that induced pores are sustained for a relatively long period of time, and such that viability of the cells is maintained.

A method of treating biological cells with pulsed electrical fields to induce pore formation in the cells, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to biological cells, wherein at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse amplitude.

A method of treating biological cells with pulsed electrical fields to induce pore formation in the cells, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to biological cells, wherein at least two of the at least three pulses differ from each other in pulse width.

A method of treating biological cells with pulsed electrical fields to induce pore formation in the cells, comprising the step of applying a sequence of at least three DC electrical pulses, having field strengths equal to or greater than 100 V/cm, to biological cells, wherein a first pulse interval for a first set of two of the at least three pulses is different from a second pulse interval for a second set of two of the at least three pulses, such that induced pores are sustained for a relatively long period of time, and such that viability of the cells is maintained.