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Title: MicrofluIdic circuit designs for performing electrokinetic manipulations that reduce the number of voltage sources and fluid reservoirs

Patent ·
OSTI ID:872994

A microfabricated device and method for proportioning and mixing electrokinetically manipulated biological or chemical materials is disclosed. The microfabricated device mixes a plurality of materials in volumetric proportions controlled by the electrical resistances of tributary reagent channels through which the materials are transported. The microchip includes two or more tributary reagent channels combining at one or more junctions to form one or more mixing channels. By varying the geometries of the channels (length, cross section, etc.), a plurality of reagent materials can be mixed at a junction such that the proportions of the reagent materials in the mixing channel depend on a ratio of the channel geometries and material properties. Such an approach facilitates voltage division on the microchip without relying on external wiring schemes and voltage division techniques external to the microchip. Microchannel designs that provide the necessary voltage division to accomplish electrokinetic valving operations using a single voltage source and a switch are also described. In addition, microchannel designs that accomplish fluidic operation utilizing a minimal number of fluidic reservoirs are disclosed.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-96OR22464
Assignee:
Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
Patent Number(s):
US 6062261
OSTI ID:
872994
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (5)

Glass chips for high-speed capillary electrophoresis separations with submicrometer plate heights journal October 1993
Effects of Injection Schemes and Column Geometry on the Performance of Microchip Electrophoresis Devices journal April 1994
Electric sample splitter for capillary zone electrophoresis journal February 1985
Micromachining a Miniaturized Capillary Electrophoresis-Based Chemical Analysis System on a Chip journal August 1993
Capillary electrophoresis and sample injection systems integrated on a planar glass chip journal September 1992