Patent ID: 6923216
Filing Date: 2005-08-02
Classification: B01L,B08B,B65G,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A microfluidic device comprising: a body having at least one microscopic fluid flow channel therein, the microscopic fluid flow channel being defined by a channel wall having a fluid contact surface portion, said fluid contact surface portion comprising a substrate with a multiplicity of substantially uniformly shaped and dimensioned asperities thereon, said asperities arranged in a substantially uniform pattern, each asperity having a cross-sectional dimension and an asperity rise angle relative to the substrate, the asperities spaced apart by a substantially uniform spacing dimension and positioned so that the surface has a contact line density measured in meters of contact line per square meter of surface area equal to or greater than a critical contact line density value “Λ  where P is a predetermined maximum expected fluid pressure value within the fluid flow channel, γ is the surface tension of the liquid, θ