US 6,737,026 B1 · Methods for identifying and optimizing materials in microfluidic systems

Abstract

A chemical processing microsystem useful for identifying and optimizing materials (e.g., catalysts) that enhance chemical processes or for characterizing and/or optimizing chemical processes is disclosed. The chemical processing microsystem comprises a plurality of microreactors 600 and, in a preferred embodiment, a plurality of microseparators 900 integral with the chemical processing microsystem 10. The microreactors 600 are preferably diffusion-mixed microreactors formed in a plurality of laminae that include a modular, interchangeable candidate-material array 100. The material array 100 comprises a plurality of different candidate materials (e.g., catalysts), preferably arranged at separate, individually addressable portions of a substrate (e.g., wafer). The microseparators 900 are similarly formed in a plurality of laminae that include a modular, interchangeable adsorbent array 700. The adsorbent array 700 comprises one or more adsorbents, preferably arranged at separate, individually addressable portions of a substrate to spatially correspond to the plurality of different candidate materials. Modular microfluidic distribution systems are also disclosed. The chemical processing microsystem can be integrated into a material evaluation system that enables a comprehensive combinatorial material science research program.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A chemical processing microsystem comprising

four or more microcomponents formed in a plurality of adjacent laminae, each of the four or more microcomponents comprising a surface defining a cavity having a volume of not more than about 3 ml for carrying out a chemical process of interest, an inlet port in fluid communication with the cavity, and optionally an outlet port in fluid communication with the cavity, and
a microfluidic distribution system for supplying one or more fluids from one or more external fluid sources to the inlet port of each of the four or more microcomponents and optionally for discharging an effluent from the outlet port of each of the four or more microcomponents to one or more external effluent sinks,
at least one of the plurality of laminae being a material-containing laminate that forms a portion of the cavity-defining surface of the four or more microcomponents, the material-containing laminate comprising a substrate for containing at least four materials arranged on the substrate such that they are individually resident in the cavities of the four or more microcomponents, the material-containing laminate having an essential absence of fluid distribution components, the four or more microcomponents being accessible for loading the material-containing laminate prior to carrying out the chemical process of interest, and for unloading the material containing laminate after the chemical process of interest.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Methods for identifying and optimizing materials in microfluidic systems

Life of this patent

Methods for identifying and optimizing materials in microfluidic systems

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24