Functionalized Porous Media for Biological Analyte Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bioseparation technologies are inefficient for large-volume samples, particularly in capturing nucleic acids and microorganisms, with low capture efficiency and high detection limits, leading to false negatives and positives due to reliance on pore size and physical separation methods.
Innovation Solution
Development of porous media functionalized with metal-oxide nanoparticles and organo-silicon compounds, enabling high-affinity chemical separation and rapid filtration of large sample volumes through crossflow functionalization, which enhances capture efficiency and reduces processing time and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pore size-based physical separation methods are used, then device complexity is reduced, but capture efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs porous substrates (membranes, filters, or scaffolds) as the foundational structure for the separation device. These porous materials provide both the physical framework and the functional surface area for binding interactions, combining structural integrity with separation capability in a single integrated component.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite functionalized porous materials by combining a porous substrate with specific binding materials (antibodies, aptamers, molecularly imprinted polymers) on its surface. This composite structure integrates the mechanical properties of the porous support with the selective recognition properties of the binding agents, achieving high capture efficiency while maintaining device simplicity.
2Measurement precision
If large sample volumes are processed using conventional methods, then detection sensitivity deteriorates, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical and physical parameters of the porous material surface through functionalization, introducing specific binding sites that enhance affinity for target analytes. This parameter modification allows the material to maintain high detection sensitivity even when processing large sample volumes, as the functionalized surface actively captures targets rather than relying solely on physical filtration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from one-dimensional physical pore-size-based separation to three-dimensional functionalized porous structures with binding sites distributed throughout the volume. This dimensional expansion increases the effective capture capacity while maintaining rapid flow through the porous matrix, enabling both high sensitivity and fast processing.
3Manufacturing precision
If physical separation based on pore size is used, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but separation accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary functionalization of the porous materials during the manufacturing process, pre-equipping the substrates with binding capabilities before deployment. This preliminary action ensures consistent separation accuracy across production batches while streamlining the overall manufacturing workflow, as the functionalization is integrated into the material fabrication rather than requiring separate complex assembly steps.
4Reliability
If conventional filtration is used, then false positives and negatives increase, but operational simplicity is improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces specific binding agents (antibodies, aptamers, molecularly imprinted polymers) as intermediary elements between the target analytes and the porous substrate. These intermediaries provide highly specific recognition and capture of targets, eliminating false positives and negatives associated with non-specific physical filtration, while maintaining straightforward operational procedures.
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
The solution achieves high nucleic acid capture efficiency (up to 70%) and low detection limits, enabling sensitive detection of biological materials, such as COVID-19 RNA, and efficient separation of nucleic acids and microorganisms from large volumes, improving upon conventional methods.
Implementation Method 1
porous material comprising bound material, wherein the bound material functions to separate the biological entity from the fluid sample
Data Source
AI summary
A device for separating biological entities from a fluid sample, the device comprising: porous material comprising bound material, wherein the bound material functions to separate the biological entity from the fluid matrix. Devices including such porous media, methods of using such porous media and methods of making such porous media are also included herein.