Droplet Immobilization via Patterned Surface Energy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current miniaturized bioinstrumentation devices face challenges in handling and processing biological and chemical samples, particularly in preventing protein adsorption and evaporation, which can lead to data falsification and require cumbersome and expensive equipment for steps like rinsing and isolating reaction products.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus with a processing compartment defined by a reservoir and an immobilization member, where the liquid medium is immiscible with the aqueous liquid droplet and has a lower surface energy, allowing for the immobilization of the droplet on predefined areas with higher surface energy, enabling processes like rinsing and mixing on a microscale.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If miniaturized devices are used for sample processing, then cost savings and faster reaction rates are achieved, but protein adsorption and evaporation problems occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid medium as an intermediary substance between the aqueous droplet and the device surfaces. This liquid medium serves as a mediator that prevents direct contact between proteins and solid surfaces, thereby eliminating non-specific protein adsorption while maintaining the miniaturized processing environment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the processing environment by introducing a liquid medium with specific surface tension properties. This parameter change creates a new interface environment that prevents protein adsorption and controls evaporation, allowing reliable data collection in miniaturized devices
2Productivity
If multiwell plates are used for screening, then large-scale analysis is possible, but evaporation occurs during incubation and storage
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid medium acts as an intermediary layer that covers the aqueous droplet during incubation and storage. This intermediary layer prevents direct evaporation of the aqueous phase while allowing the miniaturized plate format to maintain its high screening capacity
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid medium creates an inert environment around the aqueous droplet during storage and incubation. This inert liquid environment prevents evaporation losses while maintaining the biochemical activity of the sample, enabling prolonged incubation without data falsification
3Ease of operation
If standard laboratory robots are used for rinsing and isolating, then complete processing is achieved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the need for complex external rinsing and isolation equipment. By designing the microdevice with integrated hydrophobic domains that enable virtual well formation, the system performs rinsing and isolation functions internally through fluid manipulation, removing the requirement for standard laboratory robots
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid medium serves multiple functions simultaneously: it prevents protein adsorption, controls evaporation, and enables rinsing and isolation operations. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized equipment, simplifying the overall system while maintaining complete processing capability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution allows for efficient handling and processing of biological and chemical samples on a microscale, preventing protein adsorption and evaporation, and enabling a wide range of chemical and biological assays without the need for expensive equipment, thus improving data accuracy and operational flexibility.
Implementation Method 1
an aqueous droplet of protein and enzyme was encapsulated by perfluorocarbon liquid containing perfluorocarbon-ethylene glycol surfactants. The perfluorocarbon liquid-aqueous interface minimized non-specific adsorption of fibrinogen and bovine serum albumin at the interface
Implementation Method 2
The perfluorocarbon liquid-aqueous interface minimized non-specific adsorption of fibrinogen and bovine serum albumin at the interface. The activities of ribonuclease A and alkaline phosphatase at nanoliter scale surrounded by the perfluorocarbon-aqueous interface were identical to those at the bulk scale
Implementation Method 3
The interface between perfluorocarbon liquid and aqueous solution, particularly in embodiments where for instance a perfluorocarbon-ethylene glycol surfactant is present, provides a biocompatible surface in addition to minimizing evaporation of the aqueous solution
Implementation Method 4
The at least one predefined immobilisation area is of a higher surface energy than the medium. The at least one predefined immobilisation area is additionally of a sufficient width in the plane of the surface to allow, in the medium, the immobilisation of the aqueous liquid droplet on the at least one predefined immobilisation area via interfacial interactions
Data Source
Figure 1A~1C
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 2E~2H
AI summary
The invention provides an apparatus and a method of processing a biological and/or chemical sample in a liquid droplet. The apparatus comprises a processing compartment, which is defined by a reservoir and an immobilisation member. The processing compartment is further adapted to accommodate a medium, which is immiscible with the liquid droplet, and of a lower surface energy than the liquid of the liquid droplet. The reservoir is defined by a circumferential wall and a base. The immobilisation member is arranged within the reservoir and comprises a surface that is patterned in such a way that it comprises at least one predefined immobilisation area. The predefined immobilisation area within the patterned surface is of a higher surface energy than the medium. Furthermore the at least one predefined area is of a higher surface energy than the remaining surface and of a sufficient width in the plane of the surface to allow, in said hydrophobic medium, the immobilisation of the liquid droplet on the hydrophilic area via hydrophilic-hydrophilic or hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions. The remaining surface is of at most about the same surface energy as the medium. In the method of the invention the medium is disposed into the apparatus, such that the predefined immobilisation area is entirely covered by the medium. The liquid droplet is disposed onto the predefined immobilisation area, whereby the liquid droplet is immobilised thereon via hydrophilic-hydrophilic or hydrophobic-hydrophobic interactions. A process is performed on the biological and/or chemical sample in said liquid droplet.