Microchip reservoir devices and facilitated corrosion of electrodes
First Claim
1. A method for enhancing corrosion of an electrode in a biocompatible fluid, the method comprising:
- placing a primary electrode and a counter electrode in contact with an electroconductive biocompatible fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and
applying a time-varying potential, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode, wherein the potential is characterized by a waveform having a maximum potential effectively anodic to meet or exceed the corrosion potential of the primary electrode, thereby corroding the primary electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and devices are provided for enhancing corrosion of an electrode in a biocompatible fluid. The method comprises (1) placing a primary electrode and a counter electrode in an electroconductive biocompatible fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and (2) applying a time-varying potential, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode. In a preferred embodiment, the primary electrode is metal and comprises a reservoir cap of a microchip device for the release of molecules or exposure of device reservoir contents. The potential preferably is characterized by a waveform having a maximum potential effectively anodic to meet or exceed the corrosion potential of the primary electrode. Also, the minimum potential preferably is effectively cathodic to be below the value where re-deposition of metal ions on the metal electrode can substantially occur, thereby corroding the metal electrode.
272 Citations
40 Claims
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1. A method for enhancing corrosion of an electrode in a biocompatible fluid, the method comprising:
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placing a primary electrode and a counter electrode in contact with an electroconductive biocompatible fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and
applying a time-varying potential, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode, wherein the potential is characterized by a waveform having a maximum potential effectively anodic to meet or exceed the corrosion potential of the primary electrode, thereby corroding the primary electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A microchip device for the release or exposure of reservoir contents comprising:
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a substrate having reservoirs containing contents, wherein the reservoirs have reservoir caps which comprise a primary electrode; and
controlled-potential instrumentation for applying a time-varying potential at a frequency between about 0.1 and 10,000 Hz to the primary electrode in an amount effective to corrode the primary electrode when placed in contact with an electroconductive fluid, said instrumentation comprising a counter electrode. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of releasing or exposing the reservoir contents of a device at a site, the method comprising:
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providing at a site a device which comprises a substrate, at least two reservoirs in the substrate, reservoir contents in each of the at least two reservoirs, at least two reservoir caps, each reservoir cap covering one of the at least two reservoirs and comprising a primary electrode, and controlled-potential instrumentation, which comprises a counter electrode, for applying a time-varying potential at a frequency between about 0.1 and 10,000 Hz to the primary electrode;
placing the primary electrode and the counter electrode in contact with an electroconductive fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and
applying a time-varying potential, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode to corrode the primary electrode in an amount effective to disintegrate the reservoir cap and release or expose the reservoir contents. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A method for enhancing corrosion of an electrode in a biocompatible fluid, the method comprising:
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placing a primary electrode and a counter electrode in contact with an electroconductive biocompatible fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and
applying a time-varying potential, at a frequency between about 0.1 and 10,000 Hz, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode, wherein the potential is characterized by a waveform having a maximum potential effectively anodic to meet or exceed the corrosion potential of the primary electrode, thereby corroding the primary electrode. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A method of releasing or exposing the reservoir contents of a microchip device at a site, the method comprising:
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providing at a site a microchip device which comprises (i) a substrate having reservoirs containing contents covered by reservoir caps which comprise a primary electrode, and (ii) means for applying a time-varying potential to the primary electrode in an amount effective to corrode the primary electrode when placed in contact with an electroconductive fluid, said means comprising a counter electrode;
placing the primary electrode and the counter electrode in contact with an electroconductive fluid to form an electrochemical cell; and
applying a time-varying potential at a frequency between about 0.1 and 10,000 Hz, through the electrochemical cell, to the primary electrode to corrode the primary electrode in an amount effective to disintegrate the reservoir cap and release or expose the reservoir contents. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39)
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40. A device for the release or exposure of reservoir contents comprising:
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a substrate;
at least two reservoirs in the substrate;
reservoir contents in each of the at least two reservoirs;
at least two reservoir caps, each reservoir cap covering one of the at least two reservoirs and comprising a primary electrode; and
controlled-potential instrumentation for applying a time-varying potential to the primary electrode to corrode the primary electrode when placed in contact with an electroconductive fluid, wherein the controlled-potential instrumentation comprises a waveform generator and a potentiostat.
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Specification