Biochip including carbon nanotubes and method for sample separation using the same

• US 20030119034A1
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Published: 06/26/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Choi, Won-bong, Pak, Yukeun Eugene, Kang, Seong-ho
• Application Number:
  US10/255,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20030119034A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/6
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0896 Nanoscaled
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502761 specially adapted for handling suspended solids or molecules independently from the bulk fluid flow, e.g. for trapping or sorting beads, for physically stretching molecules investigating characteristics of particles G01N15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 5/00 Nanobiotechnology or nanomedicine, e.g. protein engineering or drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: C12Q 1/6806 Preparing nucleic acids for analysis, e.g. for polymerase chain reaction [PCR] assay C12Q1/6804 takes precedence

Abstract

A biochip and a method for separating a target substance contained in a sample on the biochip are disclosed. The biochip comprises a substrate, a sample loading portion disposed on the substrate, a channel in fluid communication with the sample loading portion, and carbon nanotubes arrayed in intervals in the channel. The sample is loaded on the sample loading portion and flowed through the channel. The target substance is selectively separated from the sample according to the interval sizes between the carbon nanotubes. According to the present invention, various substances in a sample may be easily separated or filtered by flowing through the channel having the carbon nanotubes, and thus, sample contamination and/or experimental error are reduced.

Claims

1. A biochip comprising;

a substrate, the substrate comprising a sample loading portion;

a channel formed in the substrate and being in fluid communication with the sample loading portion; and

a plurality of carbon nanotubes arrayed in intervals in the channel.

2. The biochip according to claim 1, wherein the channel comprises a plurality of unit channels.

3. The biochip according to claim 1, wherein the intervals between the carbon nanotubes are several nanometers to several hundred micrometers.

4. The biochip according to claim 1, wherein the channel has a length of several nanometers to several hundred millimeters.

5. The biochip according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of silicon, melted silica, glass, and plastic.

6. The biochip according to claim 1, wherein the biochip comprises a Lab-on-a-chip.

7. A method of separating a target substance from a sample comprising:

loading a sample on a sample loading portion of a substrate of a biochip;

flowing the sample through a channel of the substrate, wherein the channel comprises a plurality of carbon nanotubes arrayed in intervals; and

separating the target substance from the sample.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the channel comprises a plurality of unit channels.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the flowing the sample through the channel comprises:

opening a unit channel extending in a sample flow direction to form an opened unit channel;

closing the remaining unit channels; and

flowing the sample through the opened unit channel.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein the target substance comprises a biological molecule.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the biological molecule is selected from the group consisting of cells, nucleic acids, DNAs, proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, hormones, lipids, carbohydrates, and receptors.

12. The method according to claim 7, wherein the flowing the sample through the channel comprises applying a force selected from the group consisting of an electric field, a pressure, a vacuum, an electromagnetic field, and centrifugation.

13. A method of separating a target substance from a sample comprising;

disposing a plurality of carbon nanotubes in a channel of a substrate, wherein the carbon nanotubes are arrayed in intervals;

loading a sample in the channel;

flowing the sample through the channel; and

separating the target substance from the sample.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein disposing a plurality of carbon nanotubes comprises:

forming a plurality of unit channels in the substrate; and

disposing the carbon nanotubes in the unit channels.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the flowing the sample through the channel comprises:

opening a predetermined unit channel extending in a sample flow direction;

closing the remaining unit channels; and

flowing the sample through the opened unit channel.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein the target substance comprises a substance selected from the group consisting of cells, nucleic acids, DNAs, proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, hormones, lipids, carbohydrates, and receptors.

17. A method of making a biochip comprising:

disposing a metal layer on a substrate;

oxidizing the metal layer to form a channel; and

disposing a plurality of carbon nanotubes in the channel, such that the plurality of carbon nanotubes are arrayed in intervals.