Patent ID: 8312890

Claim:
A fluid processing device, comprising: a substrate; one or more fluid retainment regions in communication with the substrate, comprising at least a first fluid retainment region and a second fluid retainment region; a first flow passageway in fluid communication with the at least first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region; and a barrier, arranged in the flow passageway, configured to separate the first fluid retainment region from the second fluid retainment region so that there is no fluid communication between the first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region when the barrier is in an undissolved state, wherein the barrier comprises a solvent dissolvable, LCST-free material, and wherein the barrier is configured to dissolve to establish fluid communication or to increase the rate of fluid communication, between at least the first fluid retainment region and the second fluid retainment region.