Methods and systems for enhanced fluid transport
First Claim
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1. A method of enhancing material transport by electroosmotic flow of a fluid containing said material, comprising:
- providing at least first and second discrete fluid volumes in a fluid filled channel, a first material being contained in said first discrete fluid volume, but not in said second discrete fluid volume; and
providing an effective concentration of at least one zwitterionic compound in said first discrete volume of fluid containing said first material to reduce an electrophoretic mobility of said first material relative to an electroosmotic flow of said first discrete fluid volume containing said material.
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Abstract
The present invention generally provides methods for enhancing transport and direction of materials in fluidic systems, which systems utilize electroosmotic (E/O) flow systems, to affect that transport and direction. The methods generally comprise providing an effective concentration of at least one zwitterionic compound in the fluid containing the material that is to be transported or directed.
235 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of enhancing material transport by electroosmotic flow of a fluid containing said material, comprising:
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providing at least first and second discrete fluid volumes in a fluid filled channel, a first material being contained in said first discrete fluid volume, but not in said second discrete fluid volume; and providing an effective concentration of at least one zwitterionic compound in said first discrete volume of fluid containing said first material to reduce an electrophoretic mobility of said first material relative to an electroosmotic flow of said first discrete fluid volume containing said material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of transporting at least first and second discrete fluid volumes along a fluid filled channel by electroosmosis, the method comprising:
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introducing said first and second discrete fluid volumes into said fluid filled channel, wherein said at least first discrete fluid volume comprises at least a first chemical species having a different net charge than at least a second chemical species contained in said second discrete fluid volume; providing an effective concentration of a zwitterionic compound within each of said at least first and second discrete fluid volumes to reduce an electrophoretic mobility of the first and second charged chemical species relative to an electroosmotic mobility of the first and second discrete fluid volumes, respectively; and applying a voltage from one point in said channel to a different point in said channel whereby said at least first and second fluid volumes are transported along said fluid filled channel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A microfluidic system comprising:
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at least three ports disposed at free termini of at least two intersecting fluid channels, wherein at least one of said channels has at least one cross-sectional dimension of from about 1 μ
m to about 500 μ
m, and wherein at least one of said channels is capable of propagating free electroosmotic flow of a fluid in said channel;an electrode placed in electrical contact with each of said ports; and at least first and second discrete volumes of fluid disposed in at least one of said channels, whereby said electrodes present an electric field across said first and second discrete volumes of fluid, and wherein said first and second discrete volumes of fluid comprise an effective concentration of a zwitterionic compound to reduce an electrophoretic mobility of a material contained in said first discrete volume of fluid relative to an electroosmotic flow of said first discrete volume of fluid. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification