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US 9,753,009 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus for trapping and size resolution of nanoparticles and nanobubbles
AssigneeRevalesio Corporation
InventorsSean R. German, Tony L. Mega
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided are systems and methods for accurate size determination of nanoparticles and nanobubbles, comprising detecting multiple repeated translocations of a captured nanoparticle or nanobubble across the sensing zone of a conical nanopore in fluid communication with a fluid comprising nanoparticles or nanobubbles.
Claims37
A method for determining the size and/or shape of nanobubbles and nanoparticles in solution, comprising:
- (a) placing a conical-shaped nanopore in fluid communication with a fluid having nanoparticles or nanobubbles, the conical nanopore having a half-cone angle, a nanopore diameter, a proximal end, a distal end in communication with the fluid, and a nanoparticle or nanobubble sensing zone between the proximal and the distal ends;
- (b) capturing a nanoparticle or nanobubble from the fluid into the nanopore;
- (c) translocating the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble across the sensing zone toward the proximal end by applying a differential pressure across the sensing zone, and/or by applying a voltage across the sensing zone, to provide a proximal translocation of the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble, and detecting a resistive pulse caused by the proximal translocation;
- (d) triggering, upon detection of the resistive pulse caused by the proximal translocation, a reversal of the direction of the differential pressure, and/or a reversal of the voltage across the sensing zone, and translocating the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble across the sensing zone toward the distal end to provide a distal translocation of the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble, and detecting a resistive pulse caused by the distal translocation;
- (e) triggering, upon detection of the resistive pulse caused by the distal translocation, a reversal of the direction of the differential pressure, and/or a reversal of the voltage across the sensing zone, and translocating the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble across the sensing zone toward the proximal end to provide an additional proximal translocation of the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble;
- (f) repeating (d) and (e) to provide for multiple proximal and distal translocations of the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble across the sensing zone and detecting multiple respective resistive pulses;
- and
- (g) determining a size and/or shape of the captured nanoparticle or nanobubble based on properties of the detected multiple resistive pulses.
5 more elements
A system or device for determining the size and/or shape of nanobubbles and nanoparticles in solution, comprising:
- a conduit, for a fluid having nanoparticles or nanobubbles, configured to be placed in communication with a source of the fluid;
- a conical-shaped nanopore (e.g., conical-shaped glass nanopore) having a half-cone angle, a nanopore diameter, a proximal end, a distal end in communication with the fluid conduit, the conical-shaped nanopore having a nanoparticle or nanobubble sensing zone between the proximal and the distal ends, and wherein the sensing zone of the conical-shaped nanopore has a half-cone angle sufficiently small to provide for significant channel-like character at the nanopore;
- a chamber containing the saline solution and the nanopore, wherein the chamber is in communication with a source of pressure;
- electrodes positioned on opposite sides of the conical-shaped nanopore, the electrodes in communication with a voltage/potential source, and configured to provide for application of a voltage/potential across the nanoparticle or nanobubble sensing zone between the proximal and the distal ends to provide an electrophoretic force (EPF) across the nanopore;
- a nanopore/electrode holder in communication with a differential pressure regulator capable of maintaining the pressure inside the conical-shaped nanopore at a constant pressure which can be positive or negative relative to the pressure of the chamber;
- a current measuring component configured to be in operative communication with computer-implemented data acquisition software suitable to analyze and export current-time traces;
- and
- control means for adjusting at least one parameter selected from voltage across and pressure inside the nanopore, to provide for fine control of particle or nanobubble translocation velocities across the sensing zone of the nanopore, to provide a method for detecting, manipulating and characterizing nanobubbles and nanoparticles in solution.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.