Multipurpose microfluidics devices for rapid on-site optical chemical analysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12228512-B2
Application number	US-202016931143-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2020
Priority date	Jul 16, 2019
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Devices for chemical analysis include a first separation element formed on the substrate, the first separation element having a wicking surface that separates water from hydrocarbons in a fluid sample, a hydrophobic barrier at least partially surrounding the first separation element, a second separation element fluidically connected the first separation element, the second separation element configured to trap salts and organic matter present in the fluid sample, and a detection element fluidically connected to the second separation element, the detection element having a surface that binds with one or more analytes that may be present in the fluid sample and thereby emits a signal that is capable of being optically detected by a detector. Methods include providing such a device for chemical analysis, placing the fluid sample on the first separation element, and detecting the signal emitted by the detection element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for chemical analysis of a fluid sample, the device comprising:
a first separation element formed on a substrate for receiving the fluid sample, the first separation element comprising a hydrophilic channel with a hydrophobic border that separates water from hydrocarbons in the fluid sample, the hydrophobic border at least partially surrounding the first separation element;
a plurality of second separation elements fluidically connected to the first separation element and formed on the substrate, each second separation element comprising a wicking channel with a different functionalized surface configured to react with and separate a different component from the fluid sample such that each second separation element reacts with and separates different components from the fluid sample; and
a different detection element fluidically connected to each second separation element and formed on the substrate, each detection element having a surface comprising one or more lanthanide ions that emit a fluorescence signal upon binding with one or more analytes present in the fluid sample, each emitted fluorescence signal indicative of a different analyte and capable of being optically detected by a detector.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is quartz.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first separation element comprises a hydrophobic surface formed by printing ink having wax additives on the substrate followed by heat treatment.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the printing ink has from about 15 wt % up to about 50 wt % of wax additives.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the wax additive is up to 50 wt % of sunflower wax additive.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more analytes comprises dipicolinic acid.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the functionalized surfaces comprises a hydrophobic material comprising C18, C8, fluorinated silanes, or fluoropolymers.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein a first detection element of the detection elements contains europium ions, and a second detection element of the detection elements contains terbium ions.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic channel with the hydrophobic border causes hydrocarbons of the fluid sample to remain within the hydrophobic border.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second separation elements are configured to perform a finer separation of the fluid sample than the first separation element.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is quartz, and the device is configured to detect tracer concentrations of 10 ppb.

12. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to detect multiple analytes in the fluid sample simultaneously.

13. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device is double-sided and each detection element is fully confined on the substrate.

14. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the different functionalized surfaces is coated with a cyclen derivative.

15. A system for chemical analysis, the system comprising:
a fluid sample comprising a hydrocarbon and one or more interferents;
a device comprising:
a first separation element formed on a substrate, the first separation element configured to separate the hydrocarbon from the fluid sample;
a plurality of second separation elements fluidically connected to the first separation element and formed on the substrate, each second separation element configured to separate a different interferent of the one or more interferents from the fluid sample; and
a different detection element fluidically connected to each second separation element and formed on the substrate, a first detection element of the different detection elements comprising europium ions that emit a first fluorescence signal upon binding with one or more analytes in the fluid sample, and a second detection element of the different detection elements comprising terbium ions that emit a second fluorescence signal upon binding with one or more analytes in the fluid sample;

a fluorescence camera configured to detect the first fluorescence signal and the second fluorescence signal; and
a processor configured to detect a presence of an acid in the fluid sample based on the detection of the first fluorescence signal and the second fluorescence signal.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluorescence camera is a time-resolved fluorescence camera.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the substrate is quartz.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the first separation element is configured such that the hydrocarbon in the fluid sample wets a material of the first separation element and remains in the first separation element.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the fluid sample further comprises water, and the first separation element is configured such that the water in the fluid sample beads up due to a hydrophobicity of the material of the first separation element.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the device is configured such that the water in the fluid sample contacts a hydrophilic channel with a hydrophobic border of the first separation element and moves down a respective wicking channel of each second separation element of the plurality of second separation elements, driven by capillary action.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein each second separation element comprises a different chemically functionalized surface that traps the one or more interferents from the fluid sample as the fluid sample moves down each wicking channel.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein each chemically functionalized surface comprises a different hydrophobic material selected from the group consisting of C18, C8, fluorinated silanes, and fluoropolymers.

23. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a wellsite that produces the fluid sample.

24. The system of claim 15 , wherein the fluid sample is disposed in the first separation element.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Ow Hooisweng
• Chang Sehoon
• Cox Jason R
• Yoon Bora
• Wang Wei

Classifications

• G01N33/2823

  Raw oil, drilling fluid or polyphasic mixtures · CPC title

• G01N1/405

  by adsorption or absorption · CPC title

• B01L2300/161

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

• B01L2300/126

  Paper · CPC title

• B01L3/502715

  characterised by interfacing components, e.g. fluidic, electrical, optical or mechanical interfaces · CPC title