US 12,220,652 B2
Microfluidic platform for refrigeration induced phase separation of aqueous-acetonitrile solutions
Austin Lance Culberson, Atlanta, GA (US)
Assigned to Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US)
Appl. No. 17/597,953
Filed by Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta, GA (US)
PCT Filed Jul. 31, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/044482
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 30, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/022151, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 4, 2021.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/881,715, filed on Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288508 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
Int. Cl. B01D 17/00 (2006.01); B01D 17/12 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); B01L 7/00 (2006.01); G01N 33/50 (2006.01)
CPC B01D 17/005 (2013.01) [B01D 17/00 (2013.01); B01D 17/12 (2013.01); B01L 3/502761 (2013.01); B01L 7/52 (2013.01); B01L 2200/0652 (2013.01); B01L 2300/1894 (2013.01); G01N 33/50 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An inline microfluidic liquid-liquid phase separation system comprising:
a device comprising:
an inlet configured to receive a liquid sample at a first temperature, the liquid sample comprising a first liquid and a second liquid, the first liquid and the second liquid being miscible at the first temperature;
an outlet;
a microfluidic pathway extending from the inlet to the outlet; and
a thermoelectric cooling element in thermal communication with at least a portion of the microfluidic pathway;
wherein the microfluidic pathway is dimensionally configured such that upon cooling the liquid sample from the first temperature to a lower, second temperature prior to reaching the outlet, the liquid sample undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation to form a first phase of the liquid sample comprising a majority of the first liquid and a second phase of the liquid sample comprising a majority of the second liquid;
wherein the thermoelectric cooling element is configured to transition the liquid sample from the first temperature to the second temperature; and
wherein the device is configured such that the liquid sample, the first liquid, the second liquid, the first phase of the liquid sample and the second phase of the liquid sample remain in the liquid state throughout the device.