Electrokinetic pumping

• US 6,120,665 A
• Filed: 02/18/1998
• Issued: 09/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sarnoff Corporation (SRI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: McBride, Sterling Eduard, Chiang, William Yat Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Soderquist, Arlen
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOGUEROLA, ALEXANDER STEPHAN
• Application Number:
  US09/025,387
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 204/450, 204/451, 204/454
• US Class Current: 204/450
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/41 Mixers of the fractal type
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7182 with means for feeding the material with a fractal or tree-type distribution in a surface
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0046 Sequential or parallel reactions, e.g. for the synthesis of polypeptides or polynucleotides; Apparatus and devices for combinatorial chemistry or for making molecular arrays synthesis methods per se C40B50/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0093 Microreactors, e.g. miniaturised or microfabricated reactors laboratory containers with capillary fluid transport in microfabricated channels or chambers B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00317 Microwell devices, i.e. having large numbers of wells
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00358 electrode driven
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/005 Beads
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00585 Parallel processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0059 Sequential processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00596 Solid-phase processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00659 Two-dimensional arrays
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0072 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00853 Employing electrode arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00889 Mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00891 Feeding or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0864 comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0415 : electrical forces, e.g. electrokinetic
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/06 : Valves, specific forms thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0688 : surface tension valves, capillary stop, capillary break
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 : using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50273 : characterised by the means or forces applied to move the fluids micropumps F04B19/006, of the membrane type F04B43/043
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502738 : characterised by integrated valves microvalves F16K99/0001
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 17/25 : by splitting-off hydrogen halides from halogenated hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 17/263 : by condensation reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/46 : Friedel-Crafts reactions
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/68 : by increase in the number of carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/69 : by addition to carbon-to-carbon double or triple bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 45/72 : by reaction of compounds containing >C = O groups with the same or other compounds containing >C = O groups
• CPC Class Codes: C40B 60/14 : for creating libraries
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 19/006 : Micropumps F04B43/043 and F04B43/095 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 11/006 : Motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/03 : Micromixers: variable geometry from the pathway influences mixing/agitation of non-laminar fluid flow

Abstract

The invention provides a method of changing the electrode-based pumping parameters of a liquid, the method comprising (a) selecting a pumping additive based on the pumping pressure, pumping flow rate and electrical efficiency exhibited by the additive, and (b) mixing the pumping additive with the liquid to obtain a mixture having either (i) improved pumping pressure, pumping flow rate or electrical efficiency, or (ii) having a preference for pumping in a direction opposite that of the liquid, in the absence of pumping additive. In a particular embodiment, the invention provides a method of modifying a substantially non-pumping liquid to a liquid that can be pumped with an electrode-based pump.

Claims

1. A method of changing the electrode-based pumping parameters of a liquid, the method comprising

(a) providing an electrode-based pumping apparatus comprising a substrate, a channel of capillary dimensions located within the substrate, and two electrodes located within the channel and effective to pump liquid in the channel, wherein the electrodes are located within 2,500 μ

m of each other,

(b) selecting a pumping additive based on the pumping pressure, pumping flow rate and electrical efficiency exhibited by the additive when pumped through the capillary by applying voltage across the two electrodes, and

(c) mixing the pumping additive with the liquid to up to 10% w/w of mixture to obtain a mixture having either

(i) improved pumping pressure, pumping flow rate or electrical efficiency, or

(ii) having a preference for pumping in a direction opposite that of the liquid, in the absence of pumping additive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture obtained has a flow preference opposite that of the liquid.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture obtained has improved pumping pressure, pumping flow rate or electrical efficiency.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid does not substantially pump in a reference pumping device prior to mixing with the pumping additive, the method comprising:

mixing the pumping additive in at least an amount effective to allow pumping in the reference pump.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.05% w/w to about 10% w/w of mixture.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.1% w/w to about 5% w/w of the mixture.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.1% w/w to about 1% w/w of the mixture.

8. A method of changing the electrode-based pumping parameters of a solvent, the method comprising

(a) providing an electrode-based pumping apparatus comprising a substrate, a channel of capillary dimensions located within the substrate, and two electrodes located within the channel wherein the electrodes are located within 2,500 μ

m of each other, and effective to pump liquid in the channel,

(b) providing the solvent selected from the group consisting of N-methyl-pyrrolidinone, dimethylformamide, chloromethane, dichloromethane, acetonitrile and tetrahydrofuran,

(c) selecting a pumping additive based on the pumping pressure, pumping flow rate and electrical efficiency exhibited by the additive when pumped through the capillary by applying voltage across the two electrodes,

(d) mixing the pumping additive with the liquid to up to 10% w/w of mixture to obtain a mixture having either

(i) improved pumping pressure, pumping flow rate or electrical efficiency, or

(ii) having a preference for pumping in a direction opposite that of the liquid, in the absence of pumping additive.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mixture obtained has a flow preference opposite that of the liquid.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the mixture obtained has improved pumping pressure, pumping flow rate or electrical efficiency.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the liquid does not substantially pump in a reference pumping device prior to mixing with the pumping additive, the method comprising ixing the pumping additive in at least an amount effective to allow pumping in the reference pump.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.05% w/w to about 10% w/w of mixture.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.1% w/w to about 5% w/w of the mixture.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the pumping additive comprises from about 0.1% w/w to about 1% w/w of the mixture.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the pumping additive is selected from the group consisting of (lower)alkyl amines, di(lower)alkyl amines, tri(lower)alkyl amines, phenylamines, phenyl(lower)alkyl amines, morpholines, amino(lower)alkyl morpholines, pyridines, amino(lower)alkyl pyridines, imidazoles, amino(lower)alkyl imidazoles and di(lower)(alkyl or cycloalkyl) carbodiimides.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the pumping additive is allylamine, o-aminobenzyl alcohol, 2-aminoethanol, 4-(2-aminoethyl) morpholine, 4-(aminomethyl) pyridine, 2-amino-3-phenyl-1-propanol, 3-amino-1-propanol, 1-(3-aminopropyl) imidazole, 4-(aminopropyl) morpholine, benzylamine, butylamine, cyclohexylamine, N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, 1,3-diisopropylcarbodiimide, diisooropyl amine, N,N-diisopropylethylamine, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, heptylamine, isoamylamine, isobutylamine, N-methyl morpholine, phenylamine, propylamine, piperidine, triethylamine, or triphenylphosphine.