Triply Periodic Minimal Surface Hydrogel for Direct Biomolecule Separation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current chromatographic separation techniques require pre-treatment to remove suspended solids from feed streams, increasing production time and costs, and exposing labile biomolecules to denaturing conditions, leading to reduced yield and activity.
Innovation Solution
A hydrogel with a triply periodic minimal surface structure, such as a gyroid structure, is used as a separation medium, allowing for direct separation of target biomolecules from feed streams containing suspended solids by binding the analytes while allowing solids to pass through, eliminating the need for pre-treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard chromatographic separation techniques are used, then target analytes can be separated, but suspended solids must first be removed by centrifugation and/or filtration, increasing production time and costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous hydrogel matrix with controlled pore sizes that allow suspended solids to pass through while retaining target analytes through size exclusion and affinity interactions. The porous structure enables direct processing of crude feed streams without pre-filtration, eliminating time-consuming centrifugation and filtration steps while maintaining separation effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite hydrogel materials combining multiple functional groups (affinity ligands, size exclusion properties, and mechanical stability) within a single matrix. This composite approach allows the medium to simultaneously handle suspended solids and perform chromatographic separation, eliminating the need for separate pretreatment and separation steps.
2Reliability
If centrifugation and/or filtration steps are used to remove suspended solids, then chromatographic media blockage is prevented, but overall yield of the target analyte is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The porous hydrogel structure with optimized pore size distribution allows suspended solids to pass through without blocking the media, while target analytes are retained through size exclusion and affinity mechanisms. This eliminates analyte loss associated with filtration and centrifugation steps, maintaining high overall yield while preventing media blockage.
Solution Approach 2:
The hydrogel matrix is pre-designed with appropriate pore sizes and functional groups before the separation process, enabling it to handle suspended solids and perform separation in a single step. This preliminary structuring prevents the need for subsequent filtration steps that would cause analyte loss.
3Reliability
If additional processing steps are used to remove suspended solids, then chromatographic separation can proceed, but exposure to denaturing conditions increases, decreasing analyte activity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the functions of solid removal and chromatographic separation into a single integrated process using the porous hydrogel matrix. By combining size exclusion, affinity binding, and mechanical stability in one medium, the process eliminates multiple processing steps that would expose labile biomolecules to denaturing conditions, maintaining analyte activity while ensuring separation feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous hydrogel provides a gentle matrix environment with controlled pore sizes that allow suspended solids to pass through without subjecting the analyte to harsh filtration or centrifugation conditions. This reduces exposure to denaturing forces while maintaining process feasibility for separation.
4Reliability
If pre-treatment steps are used to remove suspended solids, then target analyte separation is enabled, but both production time and processing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The porous hydrogel matrix combines multiple functions (suspended solid removal, size exclusion, and affinity separation) into a single processing step. This integration eliminates the need for sequential pre-treatment and separation operations, significantly improving processing efficiency while maintaining the capability to handle complex feed streams and perform effective separation.
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 approach enables efficient and cost-effective chromatographic processing of large volume feed streams with reduced pressure drops and mechanical stability, minimizing contamination and maintaining analyte activity, thus improving yield and reducing processing time.
Implementation Method 1
the hydrogel comprises at least one ligand that binds at least one target analyte
Implementation Method 2
the hydrogel is functionalised with a ligand for use in affinity chromatography, ion exchange chromatography, hydrophobic interaction chromatography, or multimodal chromatography
Implementation Method 3
a hydrogel having a structure whose surfaces are defined by a triply periodic minimal surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
Figure 4
AI summary
The invention relates to a separation medium for use in the separation of analytes from a feed stream containing suspended solids, processes of separation using the separation medium, and the use of the separation medium to separate analytes from a feed stream containing suspended solids. The separation medium is provided as a hydrogel having a structure whose surfaces are defined by a triply periodic minimal surface, the hydrogel comprising at least one ligand that binds at least one target analyte.