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US 7,901,939 B2Granted
Method for performing crystallization and reactions in pressure-driven fluid plugs
AssigneeThe University of Chicago
InventorsRustem F. Ismagliov, Joshua David Tice, Cory John Gerdts, Bo Zheng
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Abstract
The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.
Claims42
A method of crystallization, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a first carrier-fluid, a first fluid comprising a precipitant, a second fluid comprising water, and a third fluid comprising a crystallization target wherein the capillary number of an interface between the first carrier fluid and either the first fluid, the second fluid, the third fluid or a mixture thereof is calculated to be sufficient to allow a plurality of plugs to form in the first carrier-fluid, at least one of the plugs comprising the first, second and third fluids;
- b. introducing the first carrier-fluid into a first microchannel of a substrate;
- c. introducing into a plug-forming region of the first microchannel:
- 1) the first fluid comprising the precipitant;
- 2) the second fluid comprising water;
- and
- 3) the third fluid comprising the crystallization target;
- where each of the first, second and third fluids is substantially immiscible with the first carrier-fluid;
- where pressure is applied when introducing each of the first, second and third fluids;
- and
- where the crystallization target forms a crystal in the at least one of the plugs.
8 more elements
A method of crystallization, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a first carrier-fluid and one or more first fluids wherein the capillary number of an interface between the first carrier fluid and either one or a mixture of the first fluids is calculated to be sufficient to allow a plurality of plugs to form in the first carrier-fluid, the plugs comprising the first fluids;
- b. introducing the first carrier-fluid into a first microchannel of a substrate;
- c. introducing the one or more first fluids into a first plug-forming region of the first microchannel to form a plug of a first plug type;
- where the one or more first fluids comprise a precipitant and a crystallization target;
- and
- where at least one plug of the first plug type comprises the precipitant and the crystallization target;
- d. introducing one or more second fluids into either one of:
- 1) the first plug-forming region;
- 2) a second plug-forming region of the first microchannel;
- or
- 3) a second plug-forming region of a second microchannel;
- where each of the fluids is substantially immiscible with the first carrier-fluid;
- where the one or more second fluids form a plug of a second plug type at either one of the first plug-forming region, the second plug-forming region of the first microchannel, or the second plug-forming region of a second microchannel;
- where the one or more second fluids comprise a precipitant;
- where at least one of the plugs of the second plug type comprises the precipitant;
- where pressure is applied to the first and second microchannels when introducing the one or more first fluids and the one or more second fluids;
- where at least one or more plugs of the first plug type alternate in sequence with one or more plugs of the second plug type;
- and
- where the crystallization target forms a crystal in at least one of the at least one or more plugs of the first plug.
16 more elements
A method of crystallization, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a first carrier-fluid, a first fluid comprising a precipitant, and a second fluid comprising a crystallization target wherein the capillary number of an interface between the first carrier fluid and either the first fluid, the second fluid or a mixture of the first and second fluids is calculated to be sufficient to allow a plurality of plugs to form in the first carrier-fluid, at least one of the plugs comprising the first and second fluids;
- b. introducing the first carrier-fluid into a first microchannel of a substrate;
- c. introducing into a first inlet in fluid communication with the first microchannel:
- 1) the first fluid comprising the precipitant;
- and
- 2) the second fluid comprising the crystallization target;
- where each of the first and second fluids is substantially immiscible with the first carrier-fluid;
- where pressure is applied when introducing each of the first and second fluids;
- and
- where the crystallization target forms a crystal in the at least one of the plugs.
7 more elements
A method of conducting a reaction, comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a first carrier-fluid, a first fluid comprising a first reagent and a second fluid comprising a second reagent wherein the capillary number of an interface between the first carrier fluid and either the first fluid, the second fluid or a mixture of the first and second fluids is calculated to be sufficient to allow a plurality of plugs to form in the first carrier-fluid, at least one of the plugs comprising the first and second fluids;
- b. introducing the first carrier-fluid into a first microchannel of a substrate;
- c. introducing into a first inlet in fluid communication with the first microchannel:
- 1) the first fluid comprising the first reagent;
- and
- 2) the second fluid comprising the second reagent;
- where each of the first and second fluids is substantially immiscible with the first carrier-fluid;
- where pressure is applied when introducing each of the first and second fluids;
- and
- where the first and second reagent undergo a reaction in the at least one of the plugs.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.