Device for manipulation of packets in micro-containers, in particular in microchannels

1. A microfluidic device configured to deform at least one packet or to displace at least two packets towards each other, said device comprising:

a microchannel having a longitudinal axis, and at least one tubular portion defining an internal space of the microchannel, the tubular portion comprising an insulating material comprising a bulk non-fluorinated material coated with a permanent layer on an entire circumference of an internal surface of the tubular portion, wherein the permanent layer is composed of a material that is different from the bulk non-fluorinated material;

a generator unit, and

an electrode assembly coupled to the generator unit and configured for creating inside at least one portion of the microchannel an electric field which is substantially collinear to the longitudinal axis of the microchannel,

wherein:

the generator unit is configured to generate the electric field with a Root Mean Squared (RMS) voltage between 1V and 30 kV and a frequency ranging from 0.01 Hz to 1 GHz, and

the electrode assembly comprises at least two electrodes, which are connected to different terminals of the generator unit, each of said two electrodes being electrically insulated from the entire inside surface of the tubular portion by the insulating material which has a thickness of at least 100 nm in such a manner so that a fluid, if present in the tubular portion, could not come in contact with any conductive surface of the electrodes.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one portion of the microchannel in which the electric field is substantially collinear to the axis of the microchannel has a length between about 1 and about 100 times the thickness of said portion.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode assembly comprises at least two electrodes axially spaced along the axis of the microchannel by a distance long enough for the electric field between the electrodes to be substantially collinear to the axis of the microchannel.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises at least two equipotential portions facing each other across the microchannel.

5. The device according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the electrodes has a cylindrical surface surrounding the microchannel.

6. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the electrodes are spaced by a gap having a length that is greater than a thickness of the microchannel.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the generator unit is configured for generating a continuous field.

8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the generator unit is configured for generating a variable field.

9. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the generator unit is configured for generating an AC electric field with a frequency between 100 Hz and 10 kHz.

10. The device according to claim 8 , wherein the generator unit is configured for generating the AC electric field with a frequency lower than 50 Hz.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the insulating material has a thickness of at least 1 μm.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a succession of at least two tubular portions, a first tubular portion made of a bulk fluorinated material, and a second tubular portion comprising the insulating material comprising the bulk non-fluorinated material coated with the permanent layer on the entire circumference of the internal surface of the tubular portion, wherein the permanent layer is composed of the material that is different from the bulk non-fluorinated material.

13. The device according to claim 12 , wherein the permanent layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: fused silica glass, PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane), PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), elastomers, plastics, non-conducting oxides, diamond, non-conductive ceramics, silicones, glassy materials, mineral materials, ceramics, polymers, thermoplastic polymers, thermocurable resins, photocurable resins, copolymers, silanes, fluorosilanes, and fluoropolymers.

14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the elastomers and the plastics are selected from the group consisting of: polyethylenes, polyimides, epoxies, polytetrafluoroethylene, poly-para-xylylenes, polystyrenes, polyethylene terephtalates, polyesters, and cyclic olefin copolymers.

15. The device of claim 13 , wherein the non-conductive oxides are selected from the group consisting of glass and silicon dioxide.

16. A method for collapsing at least two packets in the microchannel of the device of claim 1 , the method comprising:

introducing the at least two packets into the microchannel, and

generating an electric field within at least one portion of the microchannel, at least when the packets are located within the microchannel portion, the electric field having an amplitude and a frequency chosen such as to displace two packets towards each other.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the electric field is substantially collinear to the longitudinal axis of the microchannel.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein at least one of the packets contains a biological material.

19. A method of using the device of claim 1 , the method comprising at least a step of:

mixing,

nucleic acid screening,

nucleic acid amplification,

RNA reverse transcription,

genotyping,

performing proteomic analysis,

performing transcriptome analysis,

performing crystallization,

searching and evaluation of pharmaceutical targets, pharmaceutical hits or leads, or drugs,

performing an enzyme-protein reaction,

performing an antigen-antibody reaction,

screening of libraries of chemical or biological products,

high throughput screening,

performing drug delivery,

performing a diagnosis,

performing analysis or lysis of at least one living cell or dead cell,

performing analysis of microorganisms,

performing a chemical reaction,

performing a reactive-catalyzer reaction,

performing a polymerization reaction,

fusing particles, to form a chain,

preparing colloids, emulsions, or vesicles,

preparing nanoparticles or microparticles,

performing environmental control,

detecting pollutants, and

controlling an industrial process.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the nucleic acid amplification is by PCR, NASBA, or rolling circle amplification.

21. A method of using the device of claim 1 , comprising preparing a monodisperse colloidal object.