Controlled fluid transport microfabricated polymeric substrates

• US 6,156,181 A
• Filed: 10/26/1998
• Issued: 12/05/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caliper Holdings Incorporated
• Inventors: Knapp, Michael R., Chow, Calvin Y. H., Parce, John Wallace, Bousse, Luc
• Primary Examiner(s): Phasge, Arun S.
• Application Number:
  US09/179,242
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 204/600, 204/601
• US Class Current: 204/600
• 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 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00833 Plastic
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00853 Employing electrode arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00952 Sensing operations
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00995 Mathematical modeling
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/0689 Sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/12 Specific details about manufacturing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2200/147 Employing temperature sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0816 Cards, e.g. flat sample carriers usually with flow in two horizontal directions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/12 Specific details about materials
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502707 characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components by shaping or joining plastic parts B29C59/00, B29C65/00; by laminating B32B37/00; manufacture of microstructural devices in general B81C
• 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: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 366/03 Micromixers: variable geometry from the pathway influences mixing/agitation of non-laminar fluid flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2224 Structure of body of device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49229 Prime mover or fluid pump making

Abstract

Microfluidic devices are provided for the performance of chemical and biochemical analyses, syntheses and detection. The devices of the invention combine precise fluidic control systems with microfabricated polymeric substrates to provide accurate, low cost miniaturized analytical devices that have broad applications in the fields of chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, molecular biology and numerous other fields.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device, comprising:

a body structure comprising at least one polymeric material, the body structure having at least one microchannel fabricated therein, the at least one microchannel having a zeta potential associated therewith, which zeta potential is capable of supporting an electroosmotic mobility of a fluid of at least 1×

10^-5 cm² V^-1 s^-1, wherein said fluid is a sodium borate buffer having an ionic strength of between about 1 and about 10 mM, and a pH of from about 7 to 9 the device further comprising at least one electroosmotically movable fluid in the at least one microchannel, the at least one fluid having an electroosmotic mobility of at least about 1×

10^-5 cm² V^-1 s^-1.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least a second microchannel intersecting the at least one microchannel within the polymeric body structure.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one well fluidly connected to the at least one microchannel.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one well fluidly connected to the at least one microchannel, wherein an electrode is disposed within the well.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage controller in electrical contact with fluid in a well, which well is fluidly connected to the at least one microchannel.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a voltage controller in electrical contact with fluid in a well, which well is fluidly connected to the at least one microchannel;

a computer operably linked to the voltage controller; and

,

a detector mounted proximal to the at least one microchannel for viewing an analyte in the microchannel.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 6, wherein the detector comprises one or more of:

a photometer, a lens, and a microscope.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 6, wherein the detector provides data to the computer.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein said polymeric material is selected from:

polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyurethane, polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrene, polysulfone, polycarbonate, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 1, the body structure comprising at least 50% polymeric materials.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, the device capable of supporting an electroosmotic mobility of a fluid of at least 5×

10-5 cm2v-1s-1.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1 the device capable of supporting an electroosmotic mobility of a fluid of at least 2×

10^-4 cm² V^-1 s^-1.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one microchannel comprises a surface coating.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one microchannel comprises a surface coating, which coating is provided to the microchannel by a process selected from:

exposure to a fluorinated modifier compound, and exposure to a detergent.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one microchannel comprises a glass or quartz detection window.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 1, the body structure comprising at least two intersecting microchannels fabricated therein, wherein each of the at least two intersecting microchannels comprises a surface having a zeta potential associated therewith, which zeta potential is capable of supporting an electroosmotic mobility of a fluid of at least 2×

10-5 cm2v-1s-1, wherein said fluid is a sodium borate buffer having an ionic strength of between about 1 and about 10 mM, and a pH of from about 7 to 9.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 1, the body structure comprising at least two intersecting microchannels fabricated therein, wherein each of the at least two intersecting microchannels comprises a surface having a zeta potential associated therewith, which zeta potential is capable of supporting an electroosmotic mobility of a fluid of at least 2×

10^-5 cm² v^-1 s^-1, wherein said fluid is a sodium borate buffer having an ionic strength of between about 1 and about 10 mM, and a pH of from about 7 to 9, the body structure also comprising at least first, second, third and fourth ports in fluid communication with the at least two microchannels.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one microchannel has a dimension between about 0.1 μ

m and about 500 μ

m.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising one or more of:

a sampling system for introducing fluids into the at least one microchannel;

a detection system for detecting analytes in the microchannel;

a data storage system;

a fluid control system for controlling fluid transport and direction in the at least one microchannel;

a temperature detector for detecting the temperature of a portion of the body structure; and

,

a current detector for detecting current in the at least one microchannel.

20. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the body structure is fabricated by bonding a first polymeric substrate to a second polymeric substrate, wherein the at least one microchannel is formed between the first and second substrate.

21. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the body structure is fabricated by thermally bonding a first polymeric substrate to a second polymeric substrate, wherein the at least one microchannel is formed between the first and second substrate.