Method of filling a microchannel separation column
AssigneeSandia Corporation
InventorDon W. Arnold
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for packing a stationary phase into a small diameter fluid passageway or flow channel. Capillary action is employed to distribute a stationary phase uniformly along both the length and diameter of the flow channel. The method disclosed here: 1) eliminates the need for high pressure pumps and fittings and the safety hazards associated therewith; 2) allows the use of readily available commercial microparticles, either coated or uncoated, as the stationary phase; 3) provides for different types of particles, different particle sizes, and different particle size distributions to be packed in sequence, or simultaneously; 4) eliminates the need for plugging the flow channel prior to adding the stationary phase to retain the packing particles; and 5) many capillaries can be filled simultaneously.
Claims8
A method of filling a microchannel separation column by capillary action, comprising:
- a) preparing a microchannel and a reservoir on a substrate such that the reservoir intersects the microchannel, the microchannel having a particle retaining barrier disposed at each end of the microchannel, wherein the particle barriers provide for retaining a particulate material while allowing liquid to flow past;
- b) flowing a liquid suspension of the particulate material into the microchannel from the reservoir by capillary action such that the reservoir intersects the microchannel;
- and
- c) filling the length of the microchannel column between the particle retaining barriers with the particulate material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.