Microfluidic platform for serial mixing experiments within operandonuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract

We present a microfluidic platform that allowsin operandonuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) observation of serial mixing experiments. Gradually adding one reagent to another is a fundamental experimental modality, widely used to quantify equilibrium constants, for titrations, and in chemical kinetics studies. NMR provides a non-invasive means to quantify concentrations and to follow structural changes at the molecular level as a function of exchanged volume. Using active pneumatic valving on the microfluidic device directly inside an NMR spectrometer equipped with a transmission-line NMR microprobe, the system allows injection of aliquots andin situmixing in a sample volume of less than 10 μL.