Dissolution guided wetting of structured surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364411-B2
Application number	US-201815995360-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2018
Priority date	May 31, 2012
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

A microfabricated device having at least one gas-entrapping feature formed therein in a configuration that entraps air bubbles upon wetting the feature with a solvent or solution is described. The device includes a sacrificial residue in contact with the gas-entrapping feature, the dissolution of which guides the wetting of the gas-entrapping feature.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A microfabricated device comprising:
a substrate material comprising an array of microwells formed therein, wherein the array of microwells defines at least one gas-entrapping feature that entraps gas bubbles upon wetting said array of microwells with a solvent or solution, and
a sacrificial residue in contact with said at least one gas-entrapping feature, wherein the sacrificial residue is soluble in a solvent or solution,
wherein the sacrificial residue is configured to cause dissolution guided wetting upon contact with the solvent or solution to thereby fill the at least one gas-entrapping feature without entrapping gas bubbles.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said array of microwells defining at least one gas-entrapping feature comprises a well, corner, microcavity, dead end, post, trap, hole, or combination thereof.

3. The device of claim 1 , said microwells further comprising a releasable element positioned at the bottom of each of said microwells.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device further comprises a microfluidic network, having a plurality of regions with said gas-entrapping feature in one or more regions of said microfluidic network.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein said device is comprised of an organic polymer.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said substrate is comprised of a polymer selected from the group consisting of as polymethylmethacrylate (PRIMA), polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polysulfone, polystyrene, polymethylpentene, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyvinylidine fluoride, acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene copolymer (ABS), polymerized photoresists, and combinations thereof.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the array of microwells of said substrate is oxidized.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein said sacrificial residue is dissolvable in an aqueous solution.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein said sacrificial residue is comprised of a salt, carbohydrate, or hydrophilic polymer.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein said sacrificial residue is comprised of dextran, polyethylene glycol, alginate, agarose, chitosan, glucose, sucrose or sorbitol.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein said sacrificial residue is comprised of a non-metabolizable carbohydrate.

12. The device of claim 1 , packaged in a water-proof container, and/or packaged in a container with a desiccant.

13. A method of wetting a microfabricated device while inhibiting the entrapment of gas bubbles therein, comprising:
(a) providing a microfabricated device comprising a substrate material comprising an array of microwells formed therein, wherein the array of microwells defines at least one gas-entrapping feature that entraps gas bubbles upon wetting said array of microwells with a solvent or solution, and a sacrificial residue in contact with said at least one gas-entrapping feature;
(b) priming the microfabricated device with a sacrificial residue in contact with said at least one gas-entrapping feature, wherein the sacrificial residue is soluble in a solvent or solution, and
(c) treating said microfabricated device with a solvent or solution sufficient to dissolve said sacrificial residue to cause dissolution guided wetting of the at least one gas-entrapping feature without entrapping gas bubbles.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said solvent or solution comprises a growth media, an assay or reagent media, or a reaction media.

Assignees

• Univ North Carolina Chapel Hill

Inventors

• Allbritton Nancy
• Wang Yuli
• Sims Christopher

Classifications

• B01L3/502707

  characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components · CPC title

• B01L2200/12

  Specific details about manufacturing devices · CPC title

• B01L2300/161

  Control and use of surface tension forces, e.g. hydrophobic, hydrophilic · CPC title

• C12Q1/02

  involving viable microorganisms · CPC title

• B81C1/00206

  Processes for functionalising a surface, e.g. provide the surface with specific mechanical, chemical or biological properties · CPC title