Patent ID: 8980644
Filing Date: 2015-03-17
Classification: B01L,G01N,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method of using an environmental control reagent to maintain optimal conditions within a microfluidic device, the method comprising: selecting a first fluid including an environmental control reagent having a viscosity adjusting reagent; introducing a first volume of the first fluid into a channel segment of a microfluidic device, the first volume of the first fluid forming a spacer fluid region completely filling a first length of the channel segment and directly contacting walls of the first length; and introducing a volume of a second fluid into the channel segment of the microfluidic device adjacent to and abutting the spacer fluid region, the volume of the second fluid forming a reaction fluid region completely filling a second length of the channel segment and directly contacting walls of the second length, the second fluid comprising a component of a reaction mixture; and driving the spacer fluid region and the reaction fluid region through the channel segment; wherein the selecting includes selecting the viscosity adjusting reagent to provide a predetermined flow resistance to the driving, wherein viscosity of the first fluid is different than viscosity of the second fluid.