The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 26, 1996
Filed:
Jul. 12, 1995
David M Demorest, Scotts Valley, CA (US);
Stephen E Moring, Moss Beach, CA (US);
Claudia Chiesa, Palo Alto, CA (US);
The Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Foster City, CA (US);
Abstract
Disclosed is a method for increasing the electro-osmotic flow rate available for a silica surface. In the method, there is provided an electrophoretic channel which is defined by one or more silica surfaces. The surface(s) are contacted with an alkaline aqueous solution containing a solubilized silicate-monovalent metal complex in an amount effective to increase the acidity of the silica surface(s), as evidenced by a reduction in the average bulk pKa of the surface(s). The achieved increase in acidity is greater than would be obtained using an otherwise identical solution lacking said silicate. In one preferred embodiment, the monovalent metal used in the solution is Li.sup.+, Na.sup.+, or K.sup.+. Also disclosed is a method for increasing the acidity of a silica surface, by contacting the surface with an alkaline aqueous solution of the type noted above.