Patent ID: 8784752
Filing Date: 2014-07-22
Classification: B01L,G01N

Abstract:
1. A combination of a liquid handling plate and a holder for holding the liquid handling plate, the combination comprising: a generally rectangular frame sized to hold the plate and having a circumferential side wall; and the plate comprising a device for holding an array of aqueous liquid droplets, the device comprising a pattern of hydrophilic liquid-capturing elements on a hydrophobic background, the hydrophobic background coated by a layer of hydrophobic liquid that imparts additional nonwetting characteristics to the hydrophobic background when challenged with an aqueous liquid, wherein the hydrophobic liquid is immiscible with the aqueous liquid and wherein the surface tension of the hydrophobic liquid is equal to or greater than the surface tension of the hydrophobic background and the surface tension of the hydrophobic liquid is lower than that of the aqueous liquid, wherein the layer of hydrophobic liquid is less than 5 mm thick, wherein at least one portion of the side wall of the frame has a sloping feature having a slope such that when the plate is mounted in the frame to form a mounted structure and a liquid is held in the mounted structure so as to contact the frame in a draining position, gravity will cause the liquid to be drawn downward along the slope.