Composite Polymer Microfludic Control Device

Abstract

A device for microfluidic control comprising a regulator that is moveable in a conduit where the regulator is a composite polymer formed from a composite mixture comprising a polymerizable precursor and a particulate filler.

1 . A device for microfluidic control comprising: 
 a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;    b) a first path in fluid flow contact with the conduit;    c) a second path in fluid flow contact with the conduit; and    d) a regulator that is moveable in the conduit, wherein    the regulator has an outer dimension that is larger than the first end and the second end so the regulator cannot pass out of the conduit; and    the regulator comprises a substantially elastic material having a structural component.    
     
     
         2 . A device for microfluidic control according to  claim 1  wherein the substantially elastic material having a structural component is a composite polymer formed from a composite mixture comprising one or more polymerizable precursor and one or more particulate filler.  
     
     
         3 . A device for microfluidic control according to  claim 1  further comprising a substrate.  
     
     
         4 . A device for microfluidic control according to  claim 1  further comprising a third path in fluid flow contact with the conduit.  
     
     
         5 . A device for microfluidic control according to  claim 1  wherein there are a plurality of regulators that are moveable in the conduit, each regulator having an outer diameter that is larger than the first and second flow paths so the regulators cannot pass out of the conduit, and wherein each regulator is a substantially elastic material having a structural component.  
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the composite mixture additionally comprises a photo-initiator.  
     
     
         7 . A device according to  claim 6  wherein the photo-initiator is fluorinated.  
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 6  wherein the photo-initiator is an aromatic ketone.  
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the composite mixture additionally comprises a surfactant.  
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the composite mixture comprises two or more polymerizable precursors.  
     
     
         11 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein at least one the polymerizable precursor is a fluorinated acrylate, or a fluorinated methacrylate.  
     
     
         12 . A device according to  claim 11  wherein at least one polymerizable precursor is a mono- or multi-functional perfluoropolyether acrylate, or a mono- or multi-functional perfluoropolyether methacrylate.  
     
     
         13 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein at least one polymerizable precursor is a fluorescent monomer.  
     
     
         14 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the particulate filler is a surface treated particulate filler.  
     
     
         15 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the particulate filler is a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane.  
     
     
         16 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the outer dimension of the particulate filler is less than about 1 micrometer.  
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the particulate filler is sized to be no more than 50% of the size of the smallest flow path in the conduit.  
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator is substantially incompressible.  
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator has an optical property.  
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator has a substantially stable volume when exposed to a fluid.  
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the inner dimension of the conduit is less than about 1 millimeter.  
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator is substantially cylindrically shaped and moveable in a back and forth motion within the conduit.  
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator is substantially toothed wheel shaped and rotationally moveable within the conduit.  
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator is formed in the conduit by the in situ polymerization of a composite mixture.  
     
     
         25 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the regulator is formed in the conduit by the in situ polymerization of the composite mixture with an energy source.  
     
     
         26 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein the composite mixture further comprises a photo-initiator and the regulator is formed in the conduit by the in situ polymerization of the composite mixture with a radiating light source.  
     
     
         27 . A system for microfluidic control comprising: 
 a) a plurality of conduits, each conduit having a first end and a second end;    b) a first path in fluid flow contact with one or more conduit;    c) a second path in fluid flow contact with one or more conduit; and    d) a plurality of regulators, each regulator being independently moveable in a separate conduit, wherein    each regulator has an outer diameter that is larger than the first end and the second end so each regulator cannot pass out of the conduit; and    each regulator comprises a substantially elastic material having a structural element.    
     
     
         28 . A method of making a microfluidic control device according to  claim 2  comprising: 
 a) combining a polymerizable precursor and a particulate filler to form a composite mixture;    b) introducing the composite mixture into a conduit; and    c) exposing the conduit to an energy source to polymerize the composite mixture in situ thereby forming a regulator, wherein the regulator is movable in the conduit, and the conduit is sized so the regulator cannot pass out of the conduit.    
     
     
         29 . A method according to  claim 28  wherein the composite mixture additionally comprises a photo-initiator and wherein the energy source is a radiating light source and the conduit is exposed to the radiating light source through a mask to form the regulator.  
     
     
         30 . A method of making a device for microfluidic control comprising: 
 a) selecting a substrate having a plurality of conduits;    b) combining a polymerizable precursor and a particulate filler to form a composite mixture;    c) introducing the composite mixture into each conduit; and    d) exposing each conduit to an energy source to polymerize the composite mixture in situ thereby forming a plurality of regulators, wherein each regulator is movable in a conduit and each conduit is sized so the regulator cannot pass out of the conduit.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  additionally comprising removing unpolymerized composite mixture from a conduit.  
     
     
         32 . A method of making a device according to  claim 30  wherein the substrate has three or more conduits, and the composite mixture is introduced into three or more conduits to form three or more regulators on the same substrate.  
     
     
         33 . A method of making device according to  claim 30  wherein the energy source is a radiating light source and one or more conduits is exposed to the radiating light source to form one or more substantially cylindrically shaped regulators, and each substantially cylindrically shaped regulator is moveable in a back and forth motion within the conduit.  
     
     
         34 . A method of making a device according to  claim 30  wherein the energy source is a radiating light source and one or more conduits is exposed to the radiating light source to form one or more substantially toothed wheel shaped regulators, and each substantially toothed wheel shaped regulator is rotationally moveable within the conduit.  
     
     
         35 . A method of making a device according to  claim 30  wherein the device comprises two or more conduits and two or more regulators and the energy source is a radiating light source and each conduit is exposed to the radiating light source to form a regulator within each conduit.  
     
     
         36 . A method of making a device according to  claim 29  wherein the substrate has an axle, and the conduit is exposed to a radiating light to form a substantially toothed wheel shaped regulator around the axle.  
     
     
         37 . A method for determining a fluid flow rate in a microfluidic device comprising: 
 a) selecting a device for microfluidic control, the device having one or more regulators that are moveable in the conduit,    b) moving a fluid with a viscosity past a regulator, thereby moving one or more regulators at a fluid flow rate;    c) directing a radiating light to a portion of one or more regulators such that the radiating light is reflected or transmitted to a detector;    d) measuring the reflected or transmitted light as a periodic signal in time; and    e) processing the signal; and    f) determining the frequency of the signal and relating the signal frequency to the fluid flow rate.    
     
     
         38 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein the radiating light is reflected or transmitted to a plurality of detectors.  
     
     
         39 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein a plurality of radiating lights are directed to a regulator and the radiating lights are reflected or transmitted to a plurality of detectors.  
     
     
         40 . A method according to  claim 37  wherein at least one of the regulators is a substantially toothed wheel shaped regulator and the radiating light is directed to a toothed portion of the regulator such that the radiating light is reflected or transmitted to a detector.  
     
     
         41 . A device for microfluidic control comprising: 
 a) a conduit having a first end and a second end;    b) a first path in fluid flow contact with the conduit;    c) a second path in fluid flow contact with the conduit; and    d) a regulator comprising a substantially elastic material that is moveable in the conduit, wherein    the regulator has an outer dimension that is larger than the first end and the second end so the regulator cannot pass out of the conduit, and    the substantially elastic material is a halogenated polymer formed from one or more halogenated polymerizable precursors.    
     
     
         42 . A device according to  claim 41  wherein the halogenated polymer comprises a fluorinated polymer.  
     
     
         43 . A device according to  claim 41  wherein at least one of the halogenated polymerizable precursors is a halogenated acrylate, or a halogenated methacrylate.  
     
     
         44 . A device according to  claim 43  wherein the halogenated acrylate is a fluorinated acrylate, and the halogenated methacrylate is a fluorinated methacrylate.  
     
     
         45 . A device according to  claim 44  wherein the fluorinated acrylate is a mono- or multi-functional perfluoropolyether acrylate, and the fluorinated methacrylate is a mono- or multi-functional perfluoropolyether methacrylate.  
     
     
         46 . A device according to  claim 41  wherein the substantially elastic material comprises a halogenated polymer formed from one or more halogenated polymerizable precursors and a photo-initiator.  
     
     
         47 . A device according to  claim 46  wherein the halogenated polymer comprises a fluorinated polymer.  
     
     
         48 . A device according to  claim 2  wherein at least one of the polymerizable precursors is a halogenated monomer.  
     
     
         49 . A device according to claim  50  wherein the halogenated monomer one or both of a halogenated acrylate, or a halogenated methacrylate.