Patent ID: 7459315

Claim:
A method for dividing a chemical or biological fluid sample into a plurality of sample portions and simultaneously sealing said plurality of sample portions against contamination and evaporation, said method comprising: introducing a chemical or biological fluid sample into an assembly, said assembly comprising a first member, said first member comprising a substrate and a plurality of sample chambers formed in or on said substrate, said substrate having at least one substrate surface, each of said sample chambers having an open end and having at least one sample chamber surface, a surface property of at least a first of said sample chamber surfaces differing from a surface property of said substrate surface, such that said fluid sample has a first affinity to said first sample chamber and a second affinity to said substrate surface, said first affinity differing from said second affinity; and then introducing a displacing fluid into said assembly, said displacing fluid being immiscible with said fluid sample, thereby displacing said fluid sample away from the open end of each of said plurality of sample chambers and simultaneously sealing the open end of each of said plurality of sample chambers.