Microfluidics separation method and system thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016101419-A1
Application number	US-201414512466-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2014
Priority date	Oct 13, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A microfluidic system for separating an analyte from a sample fluid including a series of fluidic channels including at least one first region and at least one second region. The first region includes a plurality of L-nodes, which connects to each other in series. The second region includes a plurality of R-nodes, which connects to each other in series. The first region is configured to trigger at least about one lamination process cycle for both the sample fluid and the buffer fluid and the second region is configured to trigger at least about one reverse lamination process cycle for both the sample fluid and the buffer fluid, whereby the lamination process cycle and the reverse lamination process cycle causes the analyte to diffuse to the buffer fluid from the sample fluid. A method for separating the analyte is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed:

1 . A microfluidic system for separating an analyte from a sample fluid comprising:
a) a series of fluidic channels comprising at least one first region and at least one second region; b) a sample inlet portion connected to a first end of said series of fluidic channels, wherein said sample inlet portion is configured to receive said sample fluid comprising said analyte; c) a buffer inlet portion connected to said first end of said series of fluidic channels, wherein said buffer inlet portion is configured to receive a buffer fluid; d) a recovery outlet portion connected to a second end of said series of fluidic channels; and e) a waste outlet portion connected to said second end of said series of fluidic channels, wherein said first region comprises a plurality of L-nodes, which connects to each other in series, wherein said second region comprises a plurality of R-nodes, which connects to each other in series, wherein said first region is configured to trigger at least about one lamination process cycle for both said sample fluid and said buffer fluid and said second region is configured to trigger at least about one reverse lamination process cycle for both said sample fluid and said buffer fluid, whereby said lamination process cycle and said reverse lamination process cycle causes said analyte to diffuse to said buffer fluid from said sample fluid, and wherein said recovery outlet portion is configured to transfer said analyte and said buffer fluid from said microfluidic system for collection.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said first region is directly connected to said second region; wherein said first region is configured to trigger about one lamination process cycle for both said sample fluid and said buffer fluid; and wherein said second region is configured to trigger about one reverse lamination process cycle for both said sample fluid and said buffer fluid.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein said first region is connected to both said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion; and wherein said second region is connected to both said recovery outlet portion and said waste outlet portion.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said L-nodes has a L-node upper channel and a L-node lower channel; and each of said R-nodes has a R-node upper channel and a R-node lower channel, and wherein each of said L-node upper channels, L-node lower channels, R-node upper channels and R-node lower channels has an aspect ratio in a range of 0.1-0.35.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein each of said L-node upper channels, L-node lower channels, R-node upper channels and R-node lower channels has a height of 20 μm and a width of 100 μm, and wherein said first region has seven L-nodes and said second region has seven R-nodes.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the length ratio between said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion is 1:1.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the length ratio between said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion is ranged from 1:5-1:10.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein said length ratio between said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion is 1:10.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the length ratio between said waste outlet portion and said recovery outlet portion is ranged of 1:5-1:10.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said length ratio between said waste outlet portion and said recovery outlet portion is 1:10.

11 . A method of separating an analyte from a sample fluid comprising the steps of:
a) flowing said sample fluid through a series of fluidic channels, wherein said sample fluid comprises said analyte; b) flowing a buffer fluid through said series of fluidic channels; c) crossing said sample fluid with said buffer fluid to allow exchange of molecules therebetween such that said analyte diffuses into said buffer fluid; and d) collecting said analyte from said buffer fluid, wherein said sample fluid and said buffer fluid flow through said series of fluidic channels at a predetermined total flow rate.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein said crossing said sample fluid with said buffer fluid comprises the steps of:
a) carrying out at least about one lamination process cycle for both sample fluid and said buffer fluid in a first region of said series of fluidic channels, which comprises a plurality of L-nodes connecting to each other in series; and b) performing at least one reverse lamination process cycle for both sample fluid and said buffer fluid in a second region of said series of fluidic channels, which comprises a plurality of R-nodes connecting to each other in series.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein said first region is directly connected to said second region; and about one lamination process cycle is carried out in said first region and about one reverse lamination process cycle is carried in said second region.

14 . The method of claim 12 , wherein each of said L-nodes has a L-node upper channel and a L-node lower channel; and each of said R-nodes has a R-node upper channel and a R-node lower channel, and wherein each of said L-node upper channels, L-node lower channels, R-node upper channels and R-node lower channels has an aspect ratio in a range of 0.1-0.35.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein each of said L-node upper channels, L-node lower channels, R-node upper channels and R-node lower channels has a height of 20 μm and a width of 100 μm, and wherein said first region has seven L-nodes and said second region has seven R-nodes.

16 . The method of claim 12 further comprises the step of passing said sample fluid through a sample inlet portion and passing said buffer fluid through a buffer inlet portion at an inlet flow distribution ratio in a range of 0.1-10, wherein the length ratio between said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion is 1:1.

17 . The method of claim 12 further comprises the step of passing said sample fluid through a sample inlet portion and passing said buffer fluid through a buffer inlet portion at an inlet flow distribution ratio in a range of 0.1-10, wherein the length ratio between said sample inlet portion and said buffer inlet portion is in ranged of 1:5-1:10.

18 . The method of claim 12 further comprises the step of collecting said analyte with said buffer fluid at a recovery outlet portion and collecting a remaining sample fluid at a waste outlet portion, wherein the length ratio between said waste outlet portion and said recovery outlet portion ranged of 1:5-1:10.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein said length ratio between said waste outlet portion and said recovery outlet portion is 1:10, thereby configuring an outlet flow distribution ratio of 10.

20 . The method of claim 12 wherein said total flow rate of said sample fluid and said buffer fluid into said series of fluidic channels is in a range of 110 μLh −1 -1300 μLh −1 .

Assignees

• Univ Macau

Inventors

• Li Cheuk-Wing
• Lee Ming Yuen
• Yu Guodong
• Jiang Jingyun

Classifications

• B01L2300/087

  Multiple sequential chambers · CPC title

• B01L2300/0867

  Multiple inlets and one sample wells, e.g. mixing, dilution · CPC title

• B01L2300/0864

  comprising only one inlet and multiple receiving wells, e.g. for separation, splitting · CPC title

• B01L2300/0806

  Standardised forms, e.g. compact disc [CD] format · CPC title

• B01L3/502776

  specially adapted for focusing or laminating flows · CPC title