MicrofluIdic circuit designs for performing electrokinetic manipulations that reduce the number of voltage sources and fluid reservoirs
DCFirst Claim
1. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulation comprising:
- a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material;
a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material;
a third reservoir adapted for containing a third material;
a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir;
a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir;
a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir;
said first, second, and third channels having respective second ends that are interconnected to form a junction; and
a source of electrical potential operatively connected to said first, second, and third fluid reservoirs for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second materials from said first and second reservoirs toward said third reservoir;
wherein the lengths, cross-sections, or combinations thereof, of the first, second, and third channels are dimensioned to provide mixing of the first and second materials at said junction in a first ratio upon application of the electric potential to said reservoirs.
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Abstract
A microfabricated device and method for proportioning and mixing electrokinetically manipulated biological or chemical materials is disclosed. The microfabricated device mixes a plurality of materials in volumetric proportions controlled by the electrical resistances of tributary reagent channels through which the materials are transported. The microchip includes two or more tributary reagent channels combining at one or more junctions to form one or more mixing channels. By varying the geometries of the channels (length, cross section, etc.), a plurality of reagent materials can be mixed at a junction such that the proportions of the reagent materials in the mixing channel depend on a ratio of the channel geometries and material properties. Such an approach facilitates voltage division on the microchip without relying on external wiring schemes and voltage division techniques external to the microchip. Microchannel designs that provide the necessary voltage division to accomplish electrokinetic valving operations using a single voltage source and a switch are also described. In addition, microchannel designs that accomplish fluidic operation utilizing a minimal number of fluidic reservoirs are disclosed.
238 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulation comprising:
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a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material; a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material; a third reservoir adapted for containing a third material; a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir; a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir; a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir; said first, second, and third channels having respective second ends that are interconnected to form a junction; and a source of electrical potential operatively connected to said first, second, and third fluid reservoirs for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second materials from said first and second reservoirs toward said third reservoir; wherein the lengths, cross-sections, or combinations thereof, of the first, second, and third channels are dimensioned to provide mixing of the first and second materials at said junction in a first ratio upon application of the electric potential to said reservoirs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulation comprising:
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a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material; a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material; a first receiving reservoir adapted for containing a third material; a second receiving reservoir adapted for containing a fourth material; a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir and a second end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir; a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first receiving reservoir and a second end interconnected with said first channel to form a first junction; a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second receiving reservoir and a second end interconnected with said first channel to form a second junction; a switch operatively connected to said first and second receiving reservoirs; and a source of electrical potential operatively connected to said first and second reservoirs and said switch, whereby said electrical potential can be selectively connected to either said first receiving reservoir or said second receiving reservoir for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second materials from said first and second reservoirs toward said first or said second receiving reservoir; wherein the first junction is positioned along said first channel to provide mixing of the first and second materials at said first junction in a first ratio upon application of the electric potential to said first and second reservoirs relative to said first receiving reservoir and the second junction is positioned along said first channel to provide mixing of the first and second materials at said second junction in a second ratio upon application of the electric potential to said first and second reservoirs relative to said second receiving reservoir. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulations comprising:
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a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material; a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material; a third reservoir adapted for containing a third material; a fourth reservoir adapted for containing a fourth material; a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir; a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir; a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir; a fourth channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said fourth reservoir; said first, second, third, and fourth channels having respective second ends that are interconnected to form a junction; a first source of electrical potential operatively connected to said first and second reservoirs and a second source of electrical potential applied to said third and fourth reservoirs for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second materials from said first and second reservoirs toward said third and fourth reservoirs; and a switch operatively connected between said first reservoir and said first source of electric potential; wherein the lengths, cross-sections, or combinations thereof, of the first, second, third, and fourth channels are dimensioned such that (i) when said switch is closed, the first material is transported toward said third and fourth reservoirs and said second material is transported toward said third reservoir and (ii) when said switch is opened, said second material is transported toward said fourth reservoir.
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17. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulations comprising:
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a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material; a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material; a third reservoir adapted for containing a third material; a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir; a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir; a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir; a fourth channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir; said first, second, third, and fourth channels having respective second ends that are interconnected to form a junction; a first source of electrical potential operatively connected to said first and second reservoirs and a second source of electrical potential operatively connected to said third fluid reservoir for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second materials from said first and second reservoirs toward said third reservoir; and a switch operatively connected between said first reservoir and said first source of electric potential; wherein the lengths, cross-sections, or combinations thereof, of the first, second, third, and fourth channels are dimensioned such that (i) when said switch is closed, the first material is transported through said third and fourth channels to said third reservoir and the second material is transported through the third channel to the third reservoir and (ii) when said switch is opened, the second material is transported through said fourth channel to said third reservoir.
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18. An apparatus for effecting microfluidic manipulation comprising:
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a first reservoir adapted for containing a first material; a second reservoir adapted for containing a second material; a third reservoir adapted for containing a third material; a fourth reservoir adapted for containing a fourth material; a first channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said first reservoir; a second channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said second reservoir; a third channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said third reservoir; a fourth channel having a first end in fluidic communication with said fourth reservoir; said first, second, third, and fourth channels having respective second ends that are interconnected to form a first junction; and sources of electrical potential operatively connected to said first, second, third, and fourth fluid reservoirs for effecting electrokinetic transport of the first and second material toward said third and fourth reservoirs; wherein when the electrical potentials are applied the first material is transported toward said third and fourth reservoirs and the second material is transported toward said third reservoir such that the first and second materials are mixed in a controlled proportion in the third channel. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification