Flow-through sampling cell and use thereof

Abstract

A sampling cell of flow-through type and use of such a sampling cell. The sampling cell is preferably manufactured by etching of silicon wafers. It is especially useful for continuous picovolume sampling in an analytical flow. The pressure pulse generator (,) generates pulses directly into a flow channel (,). The flow channel (,) is preferably formed by a first basin (,) in a first structure (,) and a second basin (,) in a second structure (,). In a first embodiment the pressure pulse generator (,) comprises at least one piezo-ceramic disc and/or devices acting by way of magnetostrictive, electrostatical or electromechanical forces and/or devices acting by way of thermal expansion. Method of directing samples from a flow-through sampling cell by establishing a difference in electrical potential between the liquid in the flow-through sampling cell and the object to which the samples are to be directed. Use of a flow-through sampling cell for coating of surfaces, especially for achieving biospecific surfaces, for extracting samples from a continuous liquid flow, for extracting a precise sample amount by collecting a defined number of samples or for injecting samples for electrophoresis, especially capillary electrophoresis, and for electrochromatography.