Emulsions of ionic liquids
View Patent ↗The present teachings provide emulsions using ionic liquids for separation of biomolecules and related methods, compositions, and devices.
1. A method for separating a solute from a sample, the method comprising:
applying a voltage across a composition comprising the sample, an ionic liquid, and a buffer to form an emulsion, which includes emulsion droplets; and
separating the solute from the sample, wherein the solute is a positively charged species.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the emulsion droplets have an electrical charge.
3. A method of for separating a solute from a sample, the method comprising:
applying a voltage across a composition comprising the sample, an ionic liquid, and a buffer to form an emulsion, which includes emulsion droplets; and
separating the solute from the sample, wherein the charge of the emulsion droplets and the solute is the same.
4. A method of for separating a solute from a sample, the method comprising:
applying a voltage across a composition comprising the sample, an ionic liquid, and a buffer to form an emulsion, which includes emulsion droplets; and
separating the solute from the sample, wherein the charge of the emulsion droplets and the solute is different.
5. The method of one of claims 1 , 3 and 4 , wherein the sample is a biological sample.
6. The method of one of claims 1 , 3 and 4 , wherein the solute is chosen from biomolecules and bioparticles.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the bioparticles are chosen from cells and organelles.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the biomolecules are chosen from DNA and RNA.
9. The method of one of claims 1 , 3 and 4 , wherein the composition is at a temperature ranging from 20° C. to 200° C. immediately prior to application of the voltage.
10. The method of one of claims 1 , 3 and 4 , wherein the size of the emulsion droplets is controlled by at least one of the buffer composition, the current density, and the ionic liquid.
11. A method of separating a solute from a sample comprising,
applying a voltage across a composition comprising the sample, a buffer, and an ionic liquid to form an emulsion, which includes emulsion droplets;
packing the emulsion droplets against a barrier; and
stripping the solute from the emulsion droplets.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the solute is stripped from the emulsion droplets by reversing the direction of the voltage applied across the composition.
13. A device of for sample preparation, the device comprising:
a substrate comprising at least one capillary channel comprising a solution comprising an ionic liquid and a buffer, wherein the solution is adapted to form an emulsion for separating biomolecules and bioparticles; and
at least two electrodes adapted to provide a voltage across the capillary to form the emulsion, which includes emulsion droplets with biomolecules, wherein the emulsion droplets are solid.