Abstract: A flowmeter for accurately measuring the flowrate of fluids in high pressure chromatography systems. The flowmeter is a porous bed of a material, the porous bed having a porosity in the range of about 0.1 to 0.6 and a pore size in the range of about 50 nm to 1 &mgr;m, disposed between a high pressure pumping means and a chromatography column. The flowmeter is provided with pressure measuring means at both the inlet and outlet of the porous bed for measuring the pressure drop through the porous bed. This flowmeter system provides not only the ability to measure accurately flowrates in the range of &mgr;L/min to nL/min but also to provide a signal that can be used for a servo loop or feedback control system for high pressure pumping systems.

Abstract: A flowmeter for accurately measuring the flowrate of fluids in high pressure chromatography systems. The flowmeter is a porous bed of a material, the porous bed having a porosity in the range of about 0.1 to 0.6 and a pore size in the range of about 50 nm to 1 &mgr;m, disposed between a high pressure pumping means and a chromatography column. The flowmeter is provided with pressure measuring means at both the inlet and outlet of the porous bed for measuring the pressure drop through the porous bed. This flowmeter system provides not only the ability to measure accurately flowrates in the range of &mgr;L/min to nL/min but also to provide a signal that can be used for a servo loop or feedback control system for high pressure pumping systems.

Abstract: A flowmeter for accurately measuring the flowrate of fluids in high pressure chromatography systems. The flowmeter is a porous bed of a material, the porous bed having a porosity in the range of about 0.1 to 0.6 and a pore size in the range of about 50 nm to 1 &mgr;m, disposed between a high pressure pumping means and a chromatography column. The flowmeter is provided with pressure measuring means at both the inlet and outlet of the porous bed for measuring the pressure drop through the porous bed. This flowmeter system provides not only the ability to measure accurately flowrates in the range of &mgr;L/min to nL/min but also to provide a signal that can be used for a servo loop or feedback control system for high pressure pumping systems.

Abstract: A method for packing a stationary phase into a small diameter fluid passageway or flow channel. Capillary action is employed to distribute a stationary phase uniformly along both the length and diameter of the flow channel. The method disclosed here: 1) eliminates the need for high pressure pumps and fittings and the safety hazards associated therewith; 2) allows the use of readily available commercial microparticles, either coated or uncoated, as the stationary phase; 3) provides for different types of particles, different particle sizes, and different particle size distributions to be packed in sequence, or simultaneously; 4) eliminates the need for plugging the flow channel prior to adding the stationary phase to retain the packing particles; and 5) many capillaries can be filled simultaneously.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for driving a sample, having a well-defined volume, under pressure into a chromatography column. A conventional high pressure sampling valve is replaced by a sample injector composed of a pair of injector components connected in series to a common junction. The injector components are constructed so as to provide for electroosmotic flow of a sample into the junction. At an appropriate time, a pressure pulse from a high pressure source, that can be an electrokinetic pump, connected to the common junction, drives a portion of the sample, whose size is determined by the dead volume of the common junction, into the chromatographic column for subsequent separation and analysis. The apparatus can be fabricated on a substrate for microanalytical applications.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for driving a sample, having a well-defined volume, under pressure into a chromatography column. A conventional high pressure sampling valve is replaced by a sample injector composed of a pair of injector components connected in series to a common junction. The injector components are containers of porous dielectric material constructed so as to provide for electroosmotic flow of a sample into the junction. At an appropriate time, a pressure pulse from a high pressure source, that can be an electrokinetic pump, connected to the common junction, drives a portion of the sample, whose size is determined by the dead volume of the common junction, into the chromatographic column for subsequent separation and analysis. The apparatus can be fabricated on a substrate for microanalytical applications.

Abstract: A method for eliminating gas bubble blockage of current flow during operation of an electrokinetic pump. By making use of the ability to modify the surface charge on the porous dielectric medium used in electrokinetic pumps, it becomes possible to place electrodes away from the pressurized region of the electrokinetic pump. While gas is still generated at the electrodes they are situated such that the generated gas can escape into a larger buffer reservoir and not into the high pressure region of the pump where the gas bubbles can interrupt current flow. Various combinations of porous dielectric materials and ionic conductors can be used to create pumps that have desirable electrical, material handling, and flow attributes.

Abstract: An electrokinetic high pressure hydraulic pump for manipulating fluids in capillary-based systems. The pump uses electro-osmotic flow to provide a high pressure hydraulic system, having no moving mechanical parts, for pumping and/or compressing fluids, for providing valve means and means for opening and closing valves, for controlling fluid flow rate, and manipulating fluid flow generally and in capillary-based systems (Microsystems), in particular. The compact nature of the inventive high pressure hydraulic pump provides the ability to construct a micro-scale or capillary-based HPLC system that fulfills the desire for small sample quantity, low solvent consumption, improved efficiency, the ability to run samples in parallel, and field portability. Control of pressure and solvent flow rate is achieved by controlling the voltage applied to an electrokinetic pump.

Abstract: A new channel structure for microfluidic systems and process for fabricating this structure. In contrast to the conventional practice of fabricating fluid channels as trenches or grooves in a substrate, fluid channels are fabricated as thin walled raised structures on a substrate. Microfluidic devices produced in accordance with the invention are a hybrid assembly generally consisting of three layers: 1) a substrate that can or cannot be an electrical insulator; 2) a middle layer, that is an electrically conducting material and preferably silicon, forms the channel walls whose height defines the channel height, joined to and extending from the substrate; and 3) a top layer, joined to the top of the channels, that forms a cover for the channels. The channels can be defined by photolithographic techniques and are produced by etching away the material around the channel walls.