IP Library Granted Patent US 7,678,564
Granted Patent B2
US 7,678,564 · App. 10/505,149 · Granted Mar 16, 2010

Container with at least one electrode

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,678,564
App. No.
10/505,149
Granted
Mar 16, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to a container 20, 30 for receiving an aqueous solution, which is formed at least partially by an outer limit 21 forming an inner chamber 22, 32 for receiving the solution, and which comprises at least one area which acts as an electrode 25, 26, 33, 34 when an electric voltage is applied and a subsequent discharge occurs, wherein at least one electrode 25, 26, 33, 34 is made of a conductive synthetic material at least based on a plastic material which is doped with at least one conductive substance. A container 20, 30 of the above-mentioned kind is created this way, which is simple and economical to produce and also, for example, enables an efficient transfection of living cells by means of electroporation or an effective electrofusion.

Claims (45)

1. Container for receiving an aqueous solution, which comprises

at least one area which acts as an electrode when an electric voltage is applied and a subsequent discharge occurs,

wherein said at least one electrode is made of a conductive synthetic material which is, or is at least based on a plastic material which is doped with at least one conductive substance,

wherein an overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 20-80% w/w, and

wherein the container is for electroporation or electrofusion of cells, derivatives of cells, subcellular particles and/or vesicles and is, at least partially, formed by an outer limit which forms an inner chamber for receiving said solution.

2. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said dope consists essentially of carbon fibers, graphite, soot and/or carbon nanotubes.

3. Container according to claim 1 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 20-60% w/w.

4. Container according to claim 1 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 40-80% w/w.

5. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said plastic material is polycarbonate, polyetheretherketone, polypropylene, polyamide, polyphenylensulfide or a mixture of these polymers, or at least based on one or several of these polymers, and/or wherein said plastic material is an intrinsically conductive synthetic material.

6. Container according to claim 5 , wherein said plastic material is an intrinsically conductive synthetic material and wherein said intrinsically conductive synthetic material is polyaniline, polyacetylene, poly-para-phenylene, poly-para-phenylensulfide, polypyrroles, polythiophene, polypropylene, or at least based on one or several of these polymers.

7. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said outer limit is made of synthetic material.

8. Container according to claim 7 , wherein said synthetic material is the same plastic material as the plastic material on which said at least one electrode is based.

9. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is integrated into said outer limit.

10. Container according to claim 1 comprising at least two electrodes being made of the same material.

11. Container according to claim 1 comprising at least two electrodes, wherein said at least two electrodes are made of different materials.

12. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyamide doped with 25-45% w/w carbon fibers and 15-35% w/w graphite.

13. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyamide doped with 30-50% w/w carbon fibers and 25-45% w/w graphite.

14. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polycarbonate doped with 15-40% w/w carbon fibers and 1-40% w/w graphite.

15. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyetheretherketone doped with 30-50% w/w carbon fibers.

16. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyamide, preferably polyamide 66, doped with 20-40% w/w carbon fibers.

17. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polypropylene doped with 20% w/w carbon fibers.

18. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyphenylensulfide doped with 30-50% w/w carbon fibers.

19. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said outer limit comprises at least one opening for supplying said solution and at least one opening for draining off said solution.

20. Container arrangement comprising at least two, preferably 6, 12, 24, 48, 96 or more, containers according to claim 1 being joined to build one unit.

21. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said aqueous solution comprises cells, derivatives of cells, subcellular particles and/or vesicles.

22. Container according to claim 7 , wherein said synthetic material is a transparent plastic material.

23. Container according to claim 3 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 40-60% w/w.

24. Container according to claim 3 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 50-60% w/w.

25. Container according to claim 4 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 50-80% w/w.

26. Container according to claim 4 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 60-80% w/w.

27. Container according to claim 4 , wherein the overall concentration of said dope in said plastic material is 70-80% w/w.

28. Container according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyamide 66 or polyamide 6.

29. Container according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 30-40% w/w-carbon fibers.

30. Container according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 33-37% w/w carbon fibers.

31. Container according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 20-30% w/w graphite.

32. Container according to claim 12 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 23-27% w/w graphite.

33. Container according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one electrode is made of polyamide 66 or polyamide 6.

34. Container according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 35-45% w/w carbon fibers.

35. Container according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 39-41% w/w carbon fibers.

36. Container according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 30-40% w/w graphite.

37. Container according to claim 13 , wherein said at least one electrode is doped with 34-36% w/w graphite.

38. Container according to claim 14 , wherein at least one electrode is made of polycarbonate doped with 20% w/w carbon fibers and 15% w/w graphite.

39. Container according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one electrode has a surface that is plane-parallel to a surface of a second electrode.

40. Container according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode is moldable.

41. Container according to claim 40 , wherein the electrode is injection-molded.

Assignments (5)
CHANGE OF LEGAL FORM Recorded May 13, 2011
From: LONZA COLOGNE AG
To: LONZA COLOGNE GMBH
Reel/Frame 026276/0125 →
CHANGE OF LEGAL FORM Recorded Feb 3, 2011
From: LONZA COLOGNE AG
To: LONZA COLOGNE GMBH
Reel/Frame 025741/0888 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 18, 2009
From: AMAXA AG
To: LONZA COLOGNE AG
Reel/Frame 022846/0012 →
CHANGE OF LEGAL FROM Recorded Sep 11, 2007
From: AMAXA GMBH
To: AMAXA AG
Reel/Frame 019832/0285 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 22, 2004
From: HARTMANN, H. MULLER; HABOG, M.; HOFFMANN, P.; SIEBENKOTTEN, G.
To: AMAXA GMBH
Reel/Frame 016045/0605 →