Droplet actuator devices and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9545641-B2
Application number	US-201514870433-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2015
Priority date	Aug 14, 2009
Publication date	Jan 17, 2017
Grant date	Jan 17, 2017

Abstract

A microfluidic device having a substrate with an electrically conductive element made using a conductive ink layer underlying a hydrophobic layer.

First claim

I claim:

1. A microfluidic device comprising:
(a) a layered substrate comprising:
(i) a base substrate made from paper;
(ii) an array of electrodes on the base substrate, wherein an electrode in the array of electrodes is formed by an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and
(iii) a dielectric layer atop the array of electrodes; and

(b) a second substrate separated from the layered substrate to provide a gap between the layered substrate and the second substrate.

2. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the electrically conductive element comprising the conductive ink layer on the base substrate comprises electrowetting electrodes.

3. The microfluidic device of claim 2 wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the electrically conductive element comprising the conductive ink layer on the base substrate and a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate.

4. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the hydrophobic layer material comprises a fluoropolymer.

5. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the hydrophobic layer material comprises an amorphous fluoropolymer.

6. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the hydrophobic layer material comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene polymer.

7. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the conductive ink layer comprises a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) material.

8. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the conductive ink layer comprises at least one of CLEVOS P Jet N, CLEVOS P Jet HC, CLEVOS P Jet N V2 and CLEVOS P Jet HC V2.

9. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the base substrate is subject to a corona treatment prior to applying the conductive ink.

10. The microfluidic device of claim 3 wherein the conductive ink comprises a CYTOP and the CYTOP is applied as a formulation in which the CYTOP is dissolved in a fluorinert solvent.

11. The microfluidic device of claim 1 further comprising a droplet in the gap.

12. The microfluidic device of claim 1 further comprising an oil filler fluid in the gap.

13. The microfluidic device of claim 1 wherein the second substrate comprises:
a. an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the second substrate facing the gap; and
b. a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the second substrate.

14. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the hydrophobic layer material on the second substrate comprises a fluoropolymer.

15. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the hydrophobic layer material on the second substrate comprises an amorphous fluoropolymer.

16. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the hydrophobic layer material on the second substrate comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene polymer.

17. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the conductive ink layer on the second substrate comprises a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) material.

18. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the conductive ink layer on the second substrate comprises at least one of CLEVOS P Jet N, CLEVOS P Jet HC, CLEVOS P Jet N V2 and CLEVOS P Jet HC V2.

19. The microfluidic device of claim 13 wherein the conductive ink on the second substrate comprises a CYTOP and the CYTOP is applied as a formulation in which the CYTOP is dissolved in a fluorinert solvent.

20. A microfluidic device comprising: a layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper; (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer in the base substrate; and further comprising a second substrate separated from the layered substrate to provide a gap between the layered substrate and the second substrate.

21. A layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper; (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer in the base substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive element comprising the conductive ink layer on the base substrate comprises an electrode in an array of electrodes.

22. A layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper; (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer in the base substrate; and wherein the electrically conductive element comprising the conductive ink layer on the base substrate comprises electrowetting electrodes.

23. A layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper; (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between the electrically conductive element comprising the conductive ink layer on the base substrate and the hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate.

24. A layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper; (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate; wherein the base substrate is subject to a corona treatment prior to applying the conductive ink.

25. A layered substrate comprising: (a) a base substrate made from paper (b) an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate; and (c) a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate; wherein the conductive ink comprises a CYTOP and the CYTOP is applied as a formulation in which the CYTOP is dissolved in a fluorinert solvent.

26. A microfluidic device comprising a layered substrate comprising:
a. a base substrate made from paper;
b. at least one electrode on the base substrate, wherein the at least one electrode is in an array of electrodes formed by an electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate;
c. a dielectric layer atop the at least one electrode;
d. a hydrophobic layer on the dielectric layer;
e. a droplet comprising water in contact with the hydrophobic layer;
f. a voltage source for activating the electrode to manipulate the droplet; and further comprising a second substrate separated from the layered substrate to provide a gap between the layered substrate and the second substrate.

27. The microfluidic device of claim 26 wherein the electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate comprises electrowetting electrodes.

28. The microfluidic device of claim 27 wherein the dielectric layer is disposed between the electrically conductive element comprising a conductive ink layer on the base substrate and a hydrophobic layer overlying at least a portion of the conductive ink layer on the base substrate.

29. The microfluidic device of claim 28 wherein the hydrophobic layer material compri

Assignees

• Advanced Liquid Logic Inc

Inventors

• Winger Theodore

Classifications

• Y10T428/31504

  Composite [nonstructural laminate] · CPC title

• B41J2/14

  Structure thereof {only for on-demand ink jet heads} · CPC title

• B41J2002/14395

  Electrowetting · CPC title

• B05B5/087 Primary

  Arrangements of electrodes, e.g. of charging, shielding, collecting electrodes (B05B5/12, B05B5/14 take precedence; arrangements of electrodes on the discharge apparatus B05B5/0533) · CPC title

• Y10T428/3154

  Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers · CPC title