Abstract: Exothermic and/or endothermic chemical reactions in combination with phase change materials can produce output temperature(s) within strict tolerances without requiring expensive and complicated external equipment to generate and maintain an output temperature. Similarly, an exothermic phase change material, which generates heat as a consequence of crystallizing a supercooled liquid, can generate heat at a constant temperature, without requiring expensive and complicated external equipment, as a consequence of the liquid form of the exothermic phase change material being in equilibrium with the solid form of the exothermic phase change material. Numerous biological and chemical processes and/or diagnostic devices require a constant temperature or temperatures for set periods of time.

Abstract: Devices and methods are provided for immobilizing a diagnostic target (e.g., indicative of a disease) from a solution (e.g., a biological fluid). The diagnostic target is first bound to a capture conjugate that includes a reversibly-associative polymer moieties attached to a first binding moiety that binds to the diagnostic target. Once the diagnostic target is bound to the capture conjugate, the solution is subjected to a change in heat and/or pH to cause the reversibly-associative polymer moieties to aggregate. The aggregates are then immobilized (e.g., via filtration).

Abstract: Exothermic and/or endothermic chemical reactions in combination with phase change materials can produce output temperature(s) within strict tolerances without requiring expensive and complicated external equipment to generate and maintain an output temperature. Similarly, an exothermic phase change material, which generates heat as a consequence of crystallizing a supercooled liquid, can generate heat at a constant temperature, without requiring expensive and complicated external equipment, as a consequence of the liquid form of the exothermic phase change material being in equilibrium with the solid form of the exothermic phase change material. Numerous biological and chemical processes and/or diagnostic devices require a constant temperature or temperatures for set periods of time.