Process for hydrophilizing surfaces of fluidic components and systems
First Claim
1. A fluidic system for transporting liquids comprising two or more fluidic components assembled so as to be in fluid communication, each of said fluidic components having at least one fluid-conveying surface, wherein a film of the same hydrophilic polymer is present on each fluid-conveying surface of each fluidic component, said film having a surface wettability greater than the wettability of at least one of said fluid-conveying surfaces of said fluidic components in the absence of said film, and wherein at least one of said fluidic components has a fluid-conveying surface that adjoins a fluid-conveying surface of another of said fluidic components, each of said adjoining fluid-conveying surfaces of said two fluidic components being provided with a continuous film of the same hydrophilic polymer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for producing a film of a hydrophilic polymer on the inner surfaces of a fluidic component is provided comprising subjecting the inner surfaces of the fluidic component to a physicochemical pre-treatment, contacting the inner surfaces of the fluidic component with a solution of the hydrophilic polymer, replacing the solution of the hydrophilic polymer with a gaseous medium in such a manner that firstly the inner surfaces of the fluidic component remain wetted with part of the polymer solution, and removing the solvent to produce a film of the hydrophilic polymer on the inner surfaces of the fluidic component. The hydrophilic polymer used has a surface wettability for aqueous solutions which is higher than the surface wettability of the inner surfaces of the fluidic component itself.
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Citations
22 Claims
- 1. A fluidic system for transporting liquids comprising two or more fluidic components assembled so as to be in fluid communication, each of said fluidic components having at least one fluid-conveying surface, wherein a film of the same hydrophilic polymer is present on each fluid-conveying surface of each fluidic component, said film having a surface wettability greater than the wettability of at least one of said fluid-conveying surfaces of said fluidic components in the absence of said film, and wherein at least one of said fluidic components has a fluid-conveying surface that adjoins a fluid-conveying surface of another of said fluidic components, each of said adjoining fluid-conveying surfaces of said two fluidic components being provided with a continuous film of the same hydrophilic polymer.
- 2. An analytical system for determining at least one physical or chemical parameter of a liquid, said system comprising at least one sensory element for determining at least one physical or chemical parameter of the liquid, and at least one fluidic component for transporting liquids to the sensory element and/or from the sensory element, wherein said at least one sensory element has a fluid-conveying surface that adjoins a fluid-conveying surface of said at least one fluidic component, wherein a continuous film of the same hydrophilic polymer is present on each of said adjoining fluid-conveying surfaces, said film having a surface wettability greater than the wettability of at least one of said fluid-conveying surfaces in the absence of said film, and wherein said fluid conveying surface of said at least one sensory element comes into direct contact with the sample to be examined.
- 14. A sensory module system for determination of at least one physical and/or chemical parameter of a liquid sample, said sensory module system comprising a plurality of sensory elements and a fluidic partial system for transporting liquid to and/or from a sensory element wherein a film of the same hydrophilic polymer is present both on liquid conveying surfaces of at least one said sensory element and on each liquid conveying surface of the said fluidic partial system, and wherein said film consists essentially of polymer molecules that are not covalently cross-linked, and wherein said at least one sensory element has a fluid-conveying surface that adjoins a fluid-conveying surface of said fluidic partial system, said adjoining fluid-conveying surfaces of said at least one sensory element and said fluidic partial system being provided with a continuous film of the same hydrophilic polymer.
Specification