US 12,239,771 B2
Microfluidic gas exchange devices and methods for making same
Anne-Marie Haghiri, Sceaux (FR); Lyas Djeghlaf, Massy (FR); Julie Lachaux, Saint-Maur (FR); Alisier Paris, Malakoff (FR); and Gilgueng Hwang, Gif-Sur-Yvette (FR)
Assigned to Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris (FR); and UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY
Appl. No. 17/286,947
Filed by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris (FR); and UNIVERSITE PARIS-SACLAY, Saint-Aubin (FR)
PCT Filed Oct. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/079274
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/089116, PCT Pub. Date May 7, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18306405 (EP), filed on Oct. 29, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0380920 A1, Dec. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. C12M 3/00 (2006.01); A61M 1/16 (2006.01); B01D 53/22 (2006.01); B01D 63/00 (2006.01); B01D 71/70 (2006.01); B01L 3/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/00 (2006.01); C12M 1/04 (2006.01); C12M 3/06 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 1/1698 (2013.01) [B01D 53/228 (2013.01); B01D 63/00 (2013.01); B01D 71/701 (2022.08); C12M 23/16 (2013.01); C12M 23/24 (2013.01); C12M 29/04 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A microfluidic gas exchange device, comprising one or more exchange modules, wherein each exchange module comprises:
a first layer comprising:
one or more primary inlets;
a first capillary network connected to the one or more primary inlets, wherein the first capillary network extends radially outward from at least one of the one or more primary inlets, wherein the first capillary network comprises one or more injection branches and a series of microchannels, and wherein said one or more injection branches are configured to divide a flow of a fluid into said series of microchannels; and
one or more primary outlets connected to the first capillary network; and
a second layer comprising a semipermeable membrane, wherein said semipermeable membrane contacts said first capillary network and is configured to allow gas exchange with said fluid,
wherein the one or more primary inlets are one or more centrally located inlets that distribute fluids axially along a first direction, and
wherein the first direction of the fluids distributed axially is orthogonal to the direction of the first capillary network, wherein the first capillary network and the one or more injection branches and series of microchannels thereof extend radially outward from the primary inlets, said one or more injection branches and said series of microchannels dividing the flow of the fluid along one or more second directions each included in a plane extending perpendicularly to the first direction.
 
13. A method for wet assembling a microfluidic gas exchange device, comprising:
producing an exchange module by affixing a first layer to a second layer to generate a combined first layer and second layer,
wherein the first layer comprises: one or more primary inlets, a first capillary network connected to the one or more primary inlets, wherein the first capillary network extends radially outward from at least one of the one or more primary inlets, wherein the first capillary network comprises one or more injection branches and a series of microchannels, and one or more primary outlets connected to the first capillary network, and wherein said one or more injection branches are configured to divide a flow of a fluid into said series of microchannels;
wherein the second layer comprises a semipermeable membrane that contacts said first capillary network,
wherein affixing comprises applying a solvent mixture to at least one of the first layer or second layer,
wherein the one or more primary inlets are one or more centrally located inlets that distribute fluids axially along a first direction, and
wherein the first direction of the fluids distributed axially is orthogonal to the direction of the first capillary network, wherein the first capillary network and the one or more injection branches and series of microchannels thereof extend radially outward from the primary inlets, said one or more injection branches and said series of microchannels dividing the flow of the fluid along one or more second direction each included in a plane extending perpendicularly to the first direction.