Patent ID: 7537680

Claim:
A method for analyzing the interaction between a first material and a second material in a fluid, said interaction giving rise to a third material, said method comprising the steps of: introducing a first material to a fluid; applying an electric field to said fluid thereby causing said first material to move electrophoretically with an electrophoretic velocity; establishing a temperature gradient in said fluid having a significant component substantially aligned with the electrophoretic motion of said first material, thereby generating a gradient of the electrophoretic velocity of said first material; producing a flow of said fluid having a significant component substantially aligned in a direction opposite a direction of the electrophoretic motion of said first material; wherein magnitudes of said electric field, said temperature gradient, and said flow are such that said first material will accumulate or be focused at a first position along said temperature gradient; and introducing a second material to said fluid so that said second material moves through said first position, thereby interacting with said first material to form a third material; whereby said third material of said interaction is then focused at a second position along said temperature gradient.