Abstract:
Lancet devices without a sharp puncturing needle tip are disclosed each with a housing, a piston biased by a coil spring and operatively engaged to a trigger, and a cartridge with a nozzle having a plunger and a plunger tip disposed in a hollow chamber, and wherein a test strip for sampling blood is useable to sample the blood drawn by the lancet device.
Abstract:
A microreactor may include a reaction channel having at least one curved microchannel, the at least one curved microchannel having an outer and inner curved surfaces and being configured to generate a centrifugal force, an inlet configured to supply at least one reactant into the reaction channel, and an outlet bifurcated into a first sub-outlet in communication with the inner curved surface of the at least one curved microchannel and a second sub-outlet in communication with the outer curved surface of the at least one curved microchannel.
Abstract:
A microfluidic radiopharmaceutical production system and process for synthesizing per run approximately one (1) to four (4) unit dose of a radiopharmaceutical biomarker for use in positron emission tomography (PET). The system includes a reaction vessel that receives a radioisotope from an accelerator or other radioisotope generator. Organic and aqueous reagents are introduced into the reaction vessel, and the mixture is heated to synthesize a solution of a pre-selected radiopharmaceutical. The radiopharmaceutical solution is passed through a solid phase extraction column and a filter for purification. The synthesis process reduces waste and allows for the production of radiopharmaceutical on an as-needed basis. The synthesis process allows for production on-site and close to the location where the unit dose will be administered to the patient, which reduces time between synthesis and administration, thereby minimizing the loss of active isotopes through decay and allowing the production of lesser amounts of radioisotopes overall.
Abstract:
Hydrogen peroxide produced in an auto-oxidation process is recovered from H 2 O 2 -containing organic solution via liquid-liquid extraction with an aqueous medium in a device having elongated channels, with a small cross-sectional dimension, that facilitate efficient extraction of aqueous hydrogen peroxide from the organic solution.
Abstract:
Embodiments of a method for using a microreactor to produce biodiesel. For example, the method may comprise flowing a first fluid comprising an alcohol and a second fluid comprising an oil to the microreactor. Alcohols typically, but not necessarily, are lower aliphatic alcohols, including methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, amyl alcohol or combinations thereof. Biodiesel production can be under supercritical conditions, where such conditions typically are determined relative to the alcohol component. Suitable sources of oil products include soy, inedible tallow and grease, corn, edible tallow and lard, cotton, rapeseed, sunflower, canola, peanut, safflower, and combinations thereof. Catalysts can be used to facilitate biodiesel production, such as metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal carbonates, alcoholic metal carbonates, alkoxides, mineral acids and enzymes. Oil conversion to biodiesel typically increases with increasing mean microreactor residence time. Certain embodiments of the present invention include blending biodiesel produced by the method with petroleum-based products.
Abstract:
The present disclosure includes description of chemical, biological, and/or biochemical reactor chips and/or reaction systems such as a microreactor systems having interpenetrating and/or semi-interpenetrating polymer networks, as well as methods for constructing and using such systems. In some cases, the interpenetrating and/or semi-interpenetrating polymer networks may be used to determine analytes, for example, by the incorporation of a reaction entity to a interpenetrating and/or semi-interpenetrating polymer network able to interact with the analytes, which may be physically included within the network (for example, physically entagled), or chemically bonded to a polymer within the network (for example, cross-linked) in some cases. In certain embodiments, a chip and/or a reaction system may be constructed so as to promote cell growth within it. In some embodiments, the chip and/or reaction system may include one or more reaction sites. The reaction sites can be very small, for example, with a volume of less than about 1 ml. In certain embodiments, a chip and/or reaction system is able to detect, measure and/or control an environmental factor such as the temperature, pressure, CO 2 concentration, O 2 concentration, relative humidity, pH, etc., associated with one or more reaction sites, by using one or more sensors, actuators, processors, and/or control systems. In certain embodiments, the disclosed devices can employ light-interacting components. These components may include waveguides, optical fibers, light sources, photodetectors, optical elements, and the like.
Abstract:
Devices for performing liquid extraction of one or more constituents from one fluid to another fluid are provided. In operation, the fluids are separated by channel structures that stabilize the interfacial boundary between the fluids allowing, for example, countercurrent flow and exchange or other flow conditions incompatible with unassisted maintenance of laminar flow. Also provided are channel structures which aid in mixing the fluids. Thin membranes may be formed using liquid extraction devices according to the invention. A process for manufacturing such devices using DRIE is described.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a method and apparatus for the production of nanoparticles using a continuous flow miniaturised reaction vessel. In particular, the invention provides a method for preparing nanoparticles by a direct one-stage process.
Abstract:
The present invention is a fundamental method and apparatus of a microcomponent assembly that overcomes the inherent limitations of state of the art chemical separations. The fundamental element enabling miniaturization is the porous contactor (200) contained within a microcomponent assembly for mass transfer of a working compound from a first medium to a second medium. The porous contactor (200) has a thickness, and a plurality of pores extending through the thickness. The pores are of a geometry cooperating with a boundary tension of one or the other or both of the media thereby preventing migration of one, other or both through the microporous contactor while permitting passage of the working compound. In the microcomponent assembly, the porous contactor (200) is placed between a first laminate (208) such that a first space or first microplenum is formed between the microporous contactor (200) and the first laminate (208). Additionally, a cover sheet (206) provides a second space or second plenum between the porous contactor and the cover sheet.