Use of Additives for Enhancing Droplet Operations
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A droplet actuator comprising:
- (a) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate;
(b) a filler fluid phase in contact with the droplet operations surface at least partially surrounding a droplet phase comprising a droplet arranged on one or more of the electrodes, the droplet comprising;
(i) a target substance susceptible to loss from the droplet phase into the filler fluid phase; and
(ii) an additive which reduces loss of the target substance to the filler fluid phase relative to a corresponding droplet not comprising the additive.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a droplet actuator with a substrate comprising electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; a filler fluid phase in contact with the droplet operations surface at least partially surrounding a droplet phase comprising a droplet arranged on one or more of the electrodes, the droplet comprising: (i) a target substance susceptible to loss from the droplet phase into the filler fluid phase; and (ii) an additive which reduces loss of the target substance to the filler fluid phase relative to a corresponding droplet not comprising the additive. The invention also relates to various compositions and methods.
94 Citations
57 Claims
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1. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; (b) a filler fluid phase in contact with the droplet operations surface at least partially surrounding a droplet phase comprising a droplet arranged on one or more of the electrodes, the droplet comprising; (i) a target substance susceptible to loss from the droplet phase into the filler fluid phase; and (ii) an additive which reduces loss of the target substance to the filler fluid phase relative to a corresponding droplet not comprising the additive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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- 29. A method of reducing electrode fouling by a target substance in a droplet at least partially surrounded by a filler fluid phase on a droplet actuator, the method comprising including in the droplet an additive which reduces loss of the target substance into the filler fluid phase relative to a corresponding droplet not comprising the additive.
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31. A method of conducting a droplet operation, the method comprising
(a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: -
(i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; and (ii) filler fluid phase on the droplet operations surface at least partially surrounding a droplet phase comprising a droplet arranged on one or more of the electrodes, the droplet comprising; (1) a target substance susceptible to loss from the droplet phase into the filler fluid phase; and (2) an additive which reduces loss of the target substance to the filler fluid phase relative to a corresponding droplet not comprising the additive; (iii) using one or more of the electrodes to conduct a droplet operation on the droplet.
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32. A droplet actuator comprising:
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(a) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a droplet operations surface of the substrate; and (b) filler fluid phase on the droplet operations surface at least partially surrounding a droplet phase comprising a droplet arranged on one or more of the electrodes, wherein; (i) the droplet comprises a target substance susceptible to loss from the droplet phase into the filler fluid phase; and (ii) the filler fluid phase comprises an additive which reduces loss of the target substance to the filler fluid phase relative to loss of the target substance in the absence of the additive. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A droplet actuator comprising a droplet thereon, the droplet comprising a target substance therein, wherein the droplet has a pH which has been adjusted away from the isoelectric point of the target substance thereby increasing the solubility of the target substance.
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53. A method for providing a droplet on a droplet actuator, the method comprising:
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(a) providing a fluid; (i) comprising a target substance having an isoelectric point; and (ii) having a certain pH; (b) adjusting the pH of the fluid in a direction which is away from the isoelectric point of the target substance to yield a pH-adjusted droplet; (c) providing a droplet actuator comprising; (i) a substrate comprising; (1) a droplet operations surface; (2) electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on the droplet operations surface; (d) providing the pH-adjusted droplet on the droplet actuator. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55, 56, 57)
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Specification