A method for preventing plugging of a continuous-reaction channel-system caused by a by-product of a continuous-reaction being carried out in said channel-system comprises the step of generating at least one ultrasonic wave travelling through said channel-system by coupling in a flow direction of at least one process fluid of a plurality of process fluids said at least one ultrasonic wave into said at least one process fluid.

A microfluidic system, including: a container, an ultrasound transmitter assembly, and a phononic crystal plate. The container is configured to accommodate a solution containing microparticles. The ultrasound transmitter assembly is configured to transmit ultrasonic waves to the phononic crystal plate, where the ultrasonic waves have a frequency which is the same as a resonance frequency of the phononic crystal plate. The phononic crystal plate is placed in the solution, and configured to generate a local acoustic field on a surface of the phononic crystal plate under excitation of the ultrasonic waves, and induce an acoustic microstreaming vortex to generate an acoustic streaming shear stress on the microparticles. The phononic crystal plate defines therein cavities, the respective cavities are arranged periodically in the phononic crystal plate, and all the respective cavities are filled with gas.

A method of using a fluidics apparatus for lysing a cell. In the method, the cell is placed in a fluid sample contacting a substrate surface. The method further includes providing surface acoustic waves (SAWs) at the substrate surface, causing cell lyses.

A general-purpose software-reconfigurable chemical process system useful in a wide range of applications is disclosed. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or small-scale chemical manufacturing.

Systems and methods for software-reconfigurable chemical process systems useful in a wide range of applications. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or smallscale chemical manufacturing.

The invention relates to a method which comprises emitting ultrasound into a liquid mixture containing first and second reagents in separate phases initially separated by a liquid precursor-gas barrier, the ultrasound having a high enough energy level to vaporize the precursor gas, such as to contact the reagents and thus to activate a chemical reaction therebetween.

A continuous acoustic chemical microreactor system is disclosed. The system includes a continuous process vessel (CPV) and an acoustic agitator coupled to the CPV and configured to agitate the CPV along an oscillation axis. The CPV includes a reactant inlet configured to receive one or more reactants into the CPV, an elongated tube coupled at a first end to the reactant inlet and configured to receive the reactants from the reactant inlet, and a product outlet coupled to a second end of the elongated tube and configured to discharge a product of a chemical reaction among the reactants from the CPV. The acoustic agitator is configured to agitate the CPV along the oscillation axis such that the inner surface of the elongated tube accelerates the one or more reactants in alternating upward and downward directions along the oscillation axis.

Provided are a particle two-dimensional acoustic focusing device that can efficiently focus and concentrate particles present in liquid flowing in a channel by using the acoustic effect of ultrasonic waves while having a simple configuration, and an acoustic concentration device using the particle two-dimensional acoustic focusing device. This particle two-dimensional acoustic focusing device is configured so as to focus particles contained in liquid flowing in a channel to the center part of the cross-section of the channel by using ultrasonic waves and comprises: a rectangular channel 10 having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape when broken orthogonally to the extension direction of the channel; and a single ultrasonic wave generator 20 that simultaneously irradiates the interior of the rectangular channel 10 with a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave in a composite state, the first ultrasonic wave being generated so that the length of a long side a of the rectangle of the rectangular channel 10 is substantially equivalent to the length of a half wavelength, the second ultrasonic wave being generated so that the length of a short side b of the rectangle of the rectangular channel 10 is substantially equivalent to the length of the half wavelength.

A method for carrying out solid-phase peptide synthesis, to an automated parallel solid-phase peptide synthesis, and to a device designed to carry out such a method. Ultrasound with a frequency of more than 25 kHz acts at least intermittently during the method on the reaction medium in which the solid-phase peptide synthesis takes place.

A sonicator assembly, including: a microplate defining a plurality of wells; a manifold for containing a transducer fluid that is thermally coupled to the plurality of wells of the microplate; an ultrasonic generator operable for applying an ultrasonic excitation to the wells of the microplate; one or more of a heating module thermally coupled to and operable for selectively heating the transducer fluid and a cooling module thermally coupled to and operable for selectively cooling the transducer fluid; and a controller operable for controlling operation of the ultrasonic generator and the one or more of the heating module and the cooling module. The controller is further operable for monitoring a temperature and a pressure within the manifold. A temperature of the plurality of wells is controllable over a temperature range from 4 C. to 95 C. Optionally, the plurality of wells include a plurality of heat-resistant round-bottom hydrophilic wells.