To provide a device and method for separation of materials.

A separating device for use in separating electrically charged components, e.g., by electrophoresis, comprises a channel branched at a branch point to provide a main feed channel 105 connected to at least two subsidiary channels 110 and 115. In use, different components 120, 125, and 130 show differential migration along the feed channel 105 so that they can be separated into different subsidiary channels 110 and 115 at the branch point. To support this separation, the separating device is provided with switchable voltage control means for controlling local voltages in a region of the branch point to provide potential differences of opposing polarity along the respective subsidiary channels 110 and 115 such that a component to be separated 125 can be caused to migrate from the feed channel into a different subsidiary channel 115 from one or more other components.

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