Patent ID: 9186638
Filing Date: 2015-11-17
Classification: B01F,B01L

Abstract:
1. A pressure-operable microfluidic structure for the bubble-free combining of two liquid volumes, comprising: a fluid chamber, which has a feed opening, as well as an inlet and outlet channel emerging into the fluid chamber, wherein at least surfaces of the fluid chamber and the inlet channel are wettable and a contact angle between a first liquid and the surface of the fluid chamber and between the first liquid and the surface of the inlet channel are each 5° to 70°, wherein the fluid chamber has a cross section that widens out relative to the inlet channel in a direction of flow from the inlet to the outlet channel, wherein the widening of the inlet channel to a largest cross section of the fluid chamber in the flow direction is constant, and is configured to widen a first liquid volume that is essentially pressure-driven and conducted through the inlet channel and through the fluid chamber to a cross section at least approximately corresponding to the full cross section of the fluid chamber, wherein the fluid chamber comprises holding structures at only a portion of a cross section of the fluid chamber; wherein only this portion of the cross-section constitutes a holding position; wherein the feed opening and/or holding position are arranged away from a central streamline extending from the inlet channel through the fluid chamber to the outlet channel; and wherein said holding structures are in the form of one of a) steles on either side of the feed opening, b) the fluid chamber being lower and in a form of a depression in the region of the holding position, and c) a surface roughness of the wall of the fluid chamber in the region of the holding position, and wherein the fluid chamber is configured such that a second liquid volume, placed in the fluid chamber through the feed opening, is configured to be held in the region of the holding position and wherein the second liquid volume when the first liquid volume is moved through by pressure can be taken up by the latter and delivered as a combined liquid volume through the fluid chamber and into the outlet channel.