Developing an Active Microfluidic Pump and Mixer Driven by AC Field-Effect-Mediated Induced-Charge Electro-Osmosis of Metal–Dielectric Janus Micropillars: Physical Perspective and Simulation Analysis
Autor: | Weiyu Liu, Ye Tao, Yaoyao Chen, Zhenyou Ge, Junshuo Chen, Yanbo Li |
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Jazyk: | angličtina |
Rok vydání: | 2023 |
Předmět: |
microfluidic pump and mixer
AC field-effect flow control induced-charge electro-osmosis metal–dielectric Janus micropillar inhomogeneous electrical polarizability gate terminal Technology Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General) TA1-2040 Biology (General) QH301-705.5 Physics QC1-999 Chemistry QD1-999 |
Zdroj: | Applied Sciences, Vol 13, Iss 14, p 8253 (2023) |
Druh dokumentu: | article |
ISSN: | 2076-3417 |
DOI: | 10.3390/app13148253 |
Popis: | We propose herein a novel microfluidic approach for the simultaneous active pumping and mixing of analytes in a straight microchannel via the AC field-effect control of induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) around metal–dielectric solid Janus cylinders of inherent inhomogeneous electrical polarizability immersed in an electrolyte solution. We coin the term “Janus AC flow field-effect transistor (Janus AC-FFET)” to describe this interesting physical phenomenon. The proposed technique utilizes a simple device geometry, in which one or a series of Janus microcylinders are arranged in parallel along the centerline of the channel’s bottom surface, embedding a pair of 3D sidewall driving electrodes. By combining symmetry breaking in both surface polarizability and the AC powering scheme, it is possible, on demand, to adjust the degree of asymmetry of the ICEO flow profile in two orthogonal directions, which includes the horizontal pump and transversal rotating motion. A comprehensive mathematical model was developed under the Debye–Hückel limit to elucidate the physical mechanism underlying the field-effect-reconfigurable diffuse-charge dynamics on both the dielectric and the metal-phase surfaces of the Janus micropillar. For innovation in applied science, an advanced microdevice design integrating an array of discrete Janus cylinders subjected to two oppositely polarized gate terminals is recommended for constructing an active microfluidic pump and mixer, even without external moving parts. Supported by a simulation analysis, our physical demonstration of Janus AC-FFET provides a brand-new approach to muti-directional electro-convective manipulation in modern microfluidic systems. |
Databáze: | Directory of Open Access Journals |
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