Variable control of electroosmotic and/or electrophoretic forces within a fluid-containing structure via electrical forces
DCFirst Claim
1. A method of using a microfluidic system having a plurality of interconnected capillary channels and a plurality of electrodes at different nodes of said capillary channels for creating electric fields in said capillary channels to electrokinetically move materials in a fluid through said capillary channels, the method comprising:
- applying voltages simultaneously to at least three of said electrodes with respect to other electrodes in the system said voltages being responsive to a current at at least two of said at least three electrodes to move materials into and through one or more intersections of said plurality of channels of said system.
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Abstract
In a microfluidic system using electrokinetic forces, the present invention uses electrical current or electrical parameters, other than voltage, to control the movement of fluids through the channels of the system. Time-multiplexed power supplies also provide further control over fluid movement by varying the voltage on an electrode connected to a fluid reservoir of the microfluidic system, by varying the duty cycle during which the voltage is applied to the electrode, or by a combination of both. A time-multiplexed power supply can also be connected to more than one electrode for a savings in cost.
643 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of using a microfluidic system having a plurality of interconnected capillary channels and a plurality of electrodes at different nodes of said capillary channels for creating electric fields in said capillary channels to electrokinetically move materials in a fluid through said capillary channels, the method comprising:
applying voltages simultaneously to at least three of said electrodes with respect to other electrodes in the system said voltages being responsive to a current at at least two of said at least three electrodes to move materials into and through one or more intersections of said plurality of channels of said system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of using a microfluidic system having a plurality of capillary channels and a plurality of electrodes at different nodes of said capillary channels for creating electric fields in said capillary channels to electrokinetically move materials in a fluid through said capillary channels, the method comprising
simultaneously controlling in time an application of an electrical parameter between at least three electrodes in the system to move materials therebetween wherein the electrical parameter is current or power.
Specification