ELECTROKINETIC HIGH PRESSURE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM

摘要

An electrokinetic high pressure hydraulic pump for manipulating fluids in capillary-based systems includes (i) a microchannel having a fluid inlet and outlet and a porous dielectric material disposed in said microchannel; (ii) an electrolyte contained within said microchannel and in communication with the porous dielectric material; (iii) spaced apart electrodes that are in contact with said electrolyte; and (iv) means for applying an electric potential to said spaced apart electrodes. The pump, which requires no moving mechanical parts, uses electro-osmotic flow to generate high pressures for pumping and/or compressing fluids, for providing valve means and means for opening and closing valves, for controlling fluid flow rate, and for manipulating fluid flow particularly in capillary-based systems. The compact nature of the high pressure hydraulic pump permits construction of a micro-scale or capillary-based HPLC system that fulfills the desire for small sample quantity, low solvent consumption, improved efficiency, running parallel samples and field portability. Control of pressure and solvent flow rate are achieved by controlling the voltage applied to the electrokinetic pump.