Fluidic arrays and method of using

• US 7,741,130 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Original Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College (Harvard Corporation)
• Inventors: Jiang, Xingyu, Lee, Jessamine Jr., Ferrigno, Rosaria, Whitesides, George M., Kenis, Paul J. A., Ismagilov, Rustem F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldarola; Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Boyer; Randy
• Application Number:
  US10/783,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20040258571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,314 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/68.1, 422/99, 422/100, 422/103, 422/129, 422/130, 422/188, 422/196, 422/197, 422/939, 422/940, 422/942, 422/946, 422/947, 422/948, 436/514, 436/515, 436/516, 436 86- 90, 436/174, 436/180, 436/807, 436/809
• US Class Current: 436/86
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/08 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 61/18 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/08 Flat membrane modules
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/081 Manufacturing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 63/082 comprising a stack of flat membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2215/0431 Numerical size values, e.g. diameter of a hole or conduit, area, volume, length, width, or ratios thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/43161 composed of consecutive sections of flat pieces of material
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4317 Profiled elements, e.g. profiled blades, bars, pillars, columns or chevrons
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/431971 Mounted on the wall
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4323 using elements provided with a plurality of channels or using a plurality of tubes which can either be placed between common spaces or collectors
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/3039 with mixing achieved by diffusion between layers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/81 Forming mixtures with changing ratios or gradients
• 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 2219/00783 Laminate assemblies, i.e. the reactor comprising a stack of plates
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00844 Comprising porous material
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0086 Dimensions of the flow channels
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00907 using membranes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0095 Control aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0681 : Filter
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0874 : Three dimensional network
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2300/0887 : Laminated structure
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0418 : electro-osmotic flow [EOF]
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0472 : Diffusion
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/0487 : fluid pressure, pneumatics
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 2400/086 : using baffles or other fixed flow obstructions
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5025 : for parallel transport of multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/50255 : Multi-well filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/5027 : by integrated microfluidic structures, i.e. dimensions of channels and chambers are such that surface tension forces are important, e.g. lab-on-a-chip B01L3/5023 takes precedence; micromixers B01F33/30; microreactors for synthesis B01J19/0093; microcapillary devices in general B81B1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502753 : characterised by bulk separation arrangements on lab-on-a-chip devices, e.g. for filtration or centrifugation separation in general B01D; microapparatus for analysis using electrophoresis G01N27/44791; sample preparation G01N1/28
• CPC Class Codes: B01L 3/502776 : specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 : Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 436/809 : Multifield plates or multicontainer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/2575 : Volumetric liquid transfer

Abstract

The present invention relates to fluidic systems and, in particular, fluidic arrays and methods for using them to promote interaction of materials. In one embodiment, the present invention is directed to a microfluidic system. The microfluidic system includes a first fluid path and a second fluid path segregated from the first fluid path by a first convection controller at a first contact region, wherein at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path has a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 1 millimeter. In another aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of promoting interaction. In another aspect, the invention relates to a device and method for performing titrations.

Claims

1. A method of promoting interaction, comprising:

introducing a first fluid including a first material into a first fluid path having a cross-sectional dimension of less than 1 millimeter;

introducing a second fluid including a second material into a second fluid path segregated from the first fluid path by a convection controller positioned at a contact region, the contact region comprising an intersection between the first and second fluid paths;

allowing the first and second materials to interact at the contact region;

forming a product from the interaction of the first and second materials; and

immobilizing the product at the contact region.

2. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the convection controller carries an electrical charge.

3. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the convection controller comprises pores about 0.05 to 0.2 micrometers in average diameter.

4. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the convection controller comprises a portion about 5 to 50 microns thick.

5. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the convection controller comprises a membrane.

6. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fluid path and the second fluid path comprises a cross-sectional dimension of less than about 300 microns.

7. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a pressure within the first fluid path at the contact region substantially equal to a pressure within the second fluid path at the contact region.

8. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, further comprising diffusing at least one of the first material and the second material into the convection controller.

9. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, further comprising immobilizing at least one of the first fluid in the first fluid path and the second fluid in the second fluid path.

10. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the first fluid is the first material.

11. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the second fluid is the second material.

12. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, wherein the convection controller comprises a gel.

13. The method of promoting interaction of claim 1, comprising an interaction material associated with the first convection controller.

14. The method of promoting interaction of claim 13, wherein the interaction material is a protein.

15. The method of promoting interaction of claim 13, wherein the interaction material is immobilized within the first convection controller.

16. The method of promoting interaction of claim 13, wherein the interaction material is immobilized on a surface of the first convection controller.

17. A method of promoting interaction as in claim 1, wherein the interaction involves binding of a protein.

18. A method of promoting interaction as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second materials is associated with a bead.

19. A method of promoting interaction, comprising:

providing a fluidic system comprising first, second and third fluid paths, wherein at least one fluid path of the fluidic system comprises a cross-sectional dimension of less than one millimeter and a first interaction material patterned therein;

flowing at least a portion of a first fluid from a first fluid source into the first fluid path;

partitioning portions of a second fluid from a second fluid source into each of the second and third fluid paths;

mixing at least a portion of the first fluid with the portion of second fluid in the second fluid path to form a third fluid;

mixing at least a portion of the third fluid with the portion of second fluid in the third fluid path to form a fourth fluid,

wherein at least one of the first, second, third or fourth fluids comprises a second interaction material; and

allowing interaction between the first and second interaction materials.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

observing the interaction of the first and second interaction materials.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein providing further comprises providing a fluidic system comprising a plurality of fluid paths and a first plurality of interaction materials patterned within them and wherein flowing further comprises flowing a plurality of fluids comprising a second plurality of interaction materials into the plurality of fluid paths.

22. A method as in claim 19, comprising:

flowing the third fluid past a first sensor; and

flowing the fourth fluid past a second sensor.

23. A method as in claim 19 comprising:

flowing a first fluid in a first channel and a second fluid in a second channel and in a third channel;

mixing at least a portion of the first fluid with the second fluid in the second channel to produce a third fluid; and

mixing at least a portion of the third fluid with the second fluid in the third channel to produce a fourth fluid,

wherein the fluid comprising the second interaction material is the first, second, third or fourth fluid.