Characterizing liquids using magnetic discs

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018136201-A1
Application number	US-201815867887-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 11, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2014
Publication date	May 17, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed towards characterizing liquids through the use of magnetic discs that rotate in response to dynamic magnetic fields. In some embodiments, a light beam is transmitted into the liquid while the magnetic discs rotate, and one or more parameters a light beam signal associated with the transmitted light beam are identified. Various characteristics of the liquid may be detected based on the one or more parameters of the light beam signal.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1 . A system comprising:
a magnetic field generator configured to expose a liquid to a dynamic magnetic field, a plurality of magnetic discs being suspended in the liquid, wherein the dynamic magnetic field causes the plurality of magnetic discs to rotate in the liquid, wherein a thickness of a respective magnetic disc of the plurality of magnetic discs is less than its diameter and an aspect ratio (diameter:thickness) of the respective magnetic disc is at least 10:1; a light source configured to transmit a light beam into the liquid, wherein the light beam transmitted into the liquid is responsive to the plurality of magnetic discs being rotated in the liquid; a light sensor configured to detect a light beam signal that corresponds to at least a portion of the light beam from the liquid; and at least one computing device configured to:
determine at least one parameter of the light beam signal; and
determine a characteristic of the liquid based on the at least one parameter of the light beam signal.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the respective magnetic disc is at least 100 nanometers.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the respective magnetic disc is in a range of 1 micrometer to 5 micrometers.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the respective magnetic disc is at least 10 nanometers.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the respective magnetic disc is at least 50 nanometers.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the respective magnetic disc consists of a single layer of ferromagnetic material.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the respective magnetic disc is covered by a layer of gold.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter of the light beam signal represents an amount of light intensity that has been blocked by the plurality of magnetic discs.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic comprises a viscosity.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the characteristic comprises a presence of an agent in the liquid.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein at least a subset of the plurality of magnetic discs comprise a targeting material having an affinity for the agent.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic magnetic field is a rotating magnetic field having a substantially constant magnitude.

13 . A method for detecting a characteristic of a liquid, comprising:
exposing the liquid to a dynamic magnetic field that causes a plurality of magnetic discs to rotate in the liquid, a plurality of magnetic discs being suspended in the liquid, wherein a thickness of a respective magnetic disc of the plurality of magnetic discs has a thickness that is less than its diameter such that an aspect ratio (diameter:thickness) of the respective magnetic disc is at least 10:1; transmitting a light beam into the liquid, wherein the light beam transmitted into the liquid is responsive to the plurality of magnetic discs being rotated in the liquid; obtaining, using at least one computing device, a light beam signal that corresponds to a portion of the light beam from the liquid; determining, using the at least one computing device, at least one parameter of the light beam signal; and determining, using the at least one computing device, the characteristic of the liquid based on the at least one parameter of the light beam signal.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the diameter of the respective magnetic disc is within a range of 100 nanometers to 5 micrometers.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the thickness of the respective magnetic disc is within a range of 10 nanometers to 500 nanometers.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the respective magnetic disc consists of a single layer of ferromagnetic material.

17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the at least one parameter of the light beam signal represents an amount of light intensity that has been blocked by the plurality of magnetic discs.

18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic discs include a targeting material having an affinity of an agent, wherein the characteristic comprises a presence of the agent in the liquid.

19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the dynamic magnetic field rotates relative to a container for the liquid.

20 . A method for detecting a presence of an agent in a liquid, comprising:
exposing the liquid to a dynamic magnetic field, wherein a plurality of magnetic discs are suspended in the liquid, wherein the dynamic magnetic field causes the plurality of magnetic discs to rotate in the liquid; transmitting a light beam into the liquid, wherein the light beam transmitted into the liquid is responsive to the plurality of magnetic discs being rotated in the liquid; obtaining, using at least one computing device, a light beam signal that corresponds to a detected portion of the light beam that has been blocked by the plurality of magnetic discs; determining, using the at least one computing device, at least one parameter of the light beam signal, wherein the at least one parameter of the light beam signal represents an amount of light intensity that has been blocked by the plurality of magnetic discs; and determining, using the at least one computing device, that the agent is present in the liquid based on the at least one parameter of the light beam signal.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein each of the plurality of magnetic discs have a respective diameter within 100 nanometers to 5 micrometers, and a respective thickness within 10 nanometers to 500 nanometers such that an aspect ratio (diameter:thickness) of each magnetic disc is at least 10:1.

Assignees

• Univ Florida

Inventors

• Arnold David P
• Garraud Nicolas

Classifications

• G01N27/74

  of fluids (G01N24/00 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N33/5434 Primary

  using magnetic particle immunoreagent carriers which constitute new materials per se · CPC title

• G01N21/1717

  with a modulation of one or more physical properties of the sample during the optical investigation, e.g. electro-reflectance · CPC title

• G01N2021/1727

  Magnetomodulation · CPC title

• G01R33/1269

  of molecules labeled with magnetic beads (magnetic particles for bio assay G01N33/54326) · CPC title