Patent ID: 9329179
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: B01J,B01L,G01N

Claim Text:
1. A method comprising: in a unit cell of a microfluidic device, said unit cell comprising in a liquid environment: (1) a microfluidic channel having a substrate, a molecular complex comprising a first molecule immobilized in a contact area of the substrate, and a second molecule bound to the first molecule and thus indirectly bound to the substrate, and a movable element that upon actuation contacts the substrate in the contact area wherein the movable element has a geometry such that when it is fully actuated, the contact area extends less than the width of the substrate of the microfluidic channel at the location of the contact area, actuating the movable element causing it to contact the substrate in the contact area thereby physically trapping the first and second molecules bound to the substrate in the contact area while substantially expelling solvent and solute molecules; or (2) a microfluidic channel having a substrate, a first molecule immobilized in a contact area of the substrate, a second molecule, a movable element that upon actuation contacts the substrate in the contact area, wherein the movable element has a geometry such that when it is fully actuated, the contact area extends less than the width of the substrate of the microfluidic channel at the location of the contact area, actuating the movable element causing it to contact the substrate in the contact area thereby physically trapping the first molecule and any second molecules bound to the first molecule substantially expelling solvent and unbound second molecules.