Patent ID: 7651662

Claim:
A method for preparing a rubbed substrate structure suitable for use in a liquid crystal assay device, comprising: (a) immobilizing a biochemical blocking compound on a surface of a support; and (b) rubbing the surface of the immobilized biochemical blocking compound to produce a rubbed surface possessing features that drive uniform anchoring of liquid crystals when the liquid crystals contact the rubbed surface; wherein the biochemical blocking compound is covalently immobilized by: (c) reacting a reactive group on a first end of a surface modifying compound with a reactive group on a support, wherein a covalent bond between the support and the first end of the surface modifying compound is formed producing a surface modified support; (d) reacting a reactive group on a first end of a bi-functional activating agent with a reactive group on a second end of the surface modifying compound, wherein a covalent bond is formed between the second end of the surface modifying compound and the first end of the bi-functional activating agent producing an activated modified surface of the support; and (e) reacting a reactive group on a second end of the biochemical blocking compound with the activated modified surface, wherein a covalent bond is formed between the biochemical blocking compound and the activated modified surface; wherein the biochemical blocking compound resists non-specific adsorption of non-target species to the rubbed surface; and wherein the biochemical blocking compound is a serum albumin.