Microfluidic device for preparing mixtures

• US 7,976,789 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Original Assignee: Board of Trustees of The University of Illinois
• Inventors: Roberts, Griffin W., Tice, Joshua D., Perry, Sarah L., Kenis, Paul J. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MERKLING, SALLY ANNE
• Application Number:
  US12/177,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20100022007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/81, 422/245.1, 435/286.5, 435/287.2
• US Class Current: 422/245.1
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/41 Emulsifying
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/45 Mixers in which the materials to be mixed are pressed together through orifices or interstitial spaces, e.g. between beads B01F25/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4521 the components being pressed through orifices in elements, e.g. flat plates or cylinders, which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/65 the materials to be mixed being directly submitted to a pulsating movement, e.g. by means of an oscillating piston or air column
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/30 Micromixers
• 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: Y10T 436/10 Composition for standardization, calibration, simulation, stabilization, preparation or preservation; processes of use in preparation for chemical testing

Abstract

A microfluidic device for preparing a mixture, has a mixer. The mixer includes a plurality of chambers, each chamber having a volume of at most 1 microliter, a first plurality of channels, each channel fluidly connecting 2 chambers, a plurality of chamber valves, each chamber valve controlling fluid flow out of one of the plurality of chambers, and a first plurality of channel valves, each channel valve controlling fluid flow through one of the first plurality of channels.

Claims

1. A microfluidic device for preparing a mixture, comprising a mixer, the mixer comprising:

a plurality of chambers, each chamber having a volume of at most 1 microliter,

a first plurality of channels, each channel fluidly connecting 2 chambers,

a plurality of chamber valves, each chamber valve controlling fluid flow out of one of the plurality of chambers, and

a first plurality of channel valves, each channel valve controlling fluid flow through one of the first plurality of channels,

wherein the plurality of chambers includes a first chamber, a second chamber and a third chamber,

the plurality of channels includes a first channel, a second channel, a third channel, and a fourth channel,

the first channel and the second channel form a parallel fluid connection between the first chamber and the second chamber, and

the third channel and the fourth channel form a parallel fluid connection between the third chamber and the second chamber.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chambers is 3-100 chambers.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the first chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber by at least 3 of the first plurality of channels, and

the third chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber by at least 3 of the first plurality of channels.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the mixer further comprises a second plurality of channels, and each of the second plurality of channels fluidly connects a chamber of the plurality of chambers, to a reservoir, for filling the chamber, and

a second plurality of channel valves, each of the second plurality of channel valves controlling fluid flow through one of the second plurality of channels.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of chambers further includes a fourth chamber, and the fourth chamber is fluidly connected to the second chamber by one channel of the first plurality of channels.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers has a volume of at most 100 nanoliters.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers has a volume of at most 20 nanoliters.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein each chamber of the plurality of chambers has a volume of 0.1 to 10 nanoliters.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 4, comprising:

a fluid layer, comprising the plurality of chambers and the first plurality of channels and the second plurality of channels, and

a control layer, comprising a third plurality of channels, for controlling the plurality of chamber valves, the first plurality of channel valves, and the second plurality of channel valves,

wherein an elastic membrane separates the fluid layer and the control layer.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 9, wherein the elastic membrane comprises polydimethylsiloxane.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising at least three additional mixers.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1, further comprising 15 additional mixers.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1, wherein the mixer is configured to cycle material between chambers to allow for chaotic mixing of a first liquid with a second liquid.