Devices utilizing self-assembled gel and method of manufacture

• US 7,192,629 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2002
• Issued: 03/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Kornfield, Julia A., Quake, Stephen R., Thorsen, Todd, Lammertink, Rob G. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore; Margaret G.
• Application Number:
  US10/269,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20030134129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 428/36.9, 428/447, 428/35.7, 210/656, 210/198.2, 961/01
• US Class Current: 428/36.9
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 23/00 Producing tubular articles B29D24/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44704 Details; Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44747 Composition of gel or of carrier mixture
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/44791 Microapparatus sample containers with integrated microfluidic structures B01L3/5027
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1352 Polymer or resin containing [i.e., natural or synthetic]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

Devices such as capillaries for capillary electrophoresis are formed by contacting a gel precursor with a substrate comprising a permeable material that has higher permeability for organic solvents than water. The gel precursor is made of a water soluble polymer having hydrophobic moieties in a solvent mixture comprising water and an organic solvent, wherein in the absence of the organic solvent, the polymer forms a self-assembled gel. The organic solvent is allowed to permeate through the permeable material resulting in the formation of the self-assembled gel.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

a) a capillary comprising a permeable material that has higher permeability for organic solvents than for water; and

b) a separation medium comprising a reversible self-assembled gel that is formed in the capillary from precursor materials comprising an organic solvent, water, and a water soluble polymer with hydrophobic moieties, wherein the reversible self-assembled gel is formed as the organic solvent diffuses through the permeable material of the substrate capillary, and wherein the precursor materials have a lower viscosity than the reversible self-assembled gel, and

wherein the article is formed as one or more capillaries filled with the separation medium suitable for use in capillary electrophoresis, and wherein separation medium slows migration of an analyte through the capillaries.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the water soluble polymer is a linear water soluble polymer bearing hydrophobic end groups.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1 where the hydrophobic moieties are end groups.

4. The article of claim 1 comprising a reagent immobilized in the gel.

5. The article of claim 4 wherein the reagent is attached to the water soluble polymer.

6. The article of claim 4 wherein the reagent is embedded in the gel.

7. The article of claim 4 wherein the reagent is a biopolymer.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the permeable material is a polymer.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the permeable material is poly(dimethylsiloxane) silicone elastomer.

10. The article of claim 1, wherein the one or more capillaries comprises an array of capillaries suitable for use in capillary electrophoresis.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the reversible self-assembled gel is reformed back into the precursor materials by introducing more of the organic solvent into the capillary.