Methods for forming small-volume electrical contacts and material manipulations with fluidic microchannels
First Claim
1. A method of mixing at least two materials comprising the steps of:
- providing a microchip that includes a substrate having first, second, and third channels disposed therein, said first, second, and third channels being in fluid communication at a channel intersection;
providing first, second, and third electrodes in said third channel at spaced locations along said third channel;
moving a first material through the first channel into the third channel adjacent to the first, second, and third electrodes by applying an electrical potential between the first channel and the third channel;
moving a second material through the second channel into the third channel adjacent to the first, second, and third electrodes by applying the electrical potential between the second channel and the third channel; and
applying electrical potentials between the first and second electrodes and between the second and third electrodes, such that the first and second materials are circulated in said third channel, whereby the first and second materials are mixed together.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A microfabricated device employing a bridging membrane and methods for electrokinetic transport of a liquid phase biological or chemical material using the same are described. The bridging membrane is deployed in or adjacent to a microchannel and permits either ionic current flow or the transport of gas species, while inhibiting the bulk flow of material. The use of bridging membranes in accordance with this invention is applicable to a variety of processes, including electrokinetically induced pressure flow in a region of a microchannel that is not influenced by an electric field, sample concentration enhancement and injection, as well as improving the analysis of materials where it is desired to eliminate electrophoretic bias. Other applications of the bridging membranes according to this invention include the separation of species from a sample material, valving of fluids in a microchannel network, mixing of different materials in a microchannel, and the pumping of fluids.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A method of mixing at least two materials comprising the steps of:
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providing a microchip that includes a substrate having first, second, and third channels disposed therein, said first, second, and third channels being in fluid communication at a channel intersection; providing first, second, and third electrodes in said third channel at spaced locations along said third channel; moving a first material through the first channel into the third channel adjacent to the first, second, and third electrodes by applying an electrical potential between the first channel and the third channel; moving a second material through the second channel into the third channel adjacent to the first, second, and third electrodes by applying the electrical potential between the second channel and the third channel; and applying electrical potentials between the first and second electrodes and between the second and third electrodes, such that the first and second materials are circulated in said third channel, whereby the first and second materials are mixed together. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A microchip apparatus for mixing materials comprising:
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a substrate having first, second, and third channels formed therein, said first, second, and third channels being in fluid communication at a channel intersection; a group of electrodes disposed in the third channel comprising; a first electrode; a second electrode spaced from said first electrode; and a third electrode spaced from said second electrode away from said first electrode; and a source of electric potentials operatively connected to said first, second, and third electrodes for applying a first electric potential between said first and second electrodes and a second electric potential between said second and third electrodes, said electric potentials being selected to generate opposing electrokinetic forces on a fluidic material in the third channel, whereby the fluidic material is caused to circulate in the third channel in the vicinity of said first, second, and third electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification