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Dumbbell Fluidic Tweezers for Dynamical Trapping and Selective Transport of Microobjects
Author(s) -
Zhou Qi,
Petit Tristan,
Choi Hongsoo,
Nelson Bradley J.,
Zhang Li
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.201604571
Subject(s) - fluidics , materials science , trapping , actuator , dumbbell , tweezers , microfluidics , nanotechnology , polystyrene , optoelectronics , polymer , physics , electrical engineering , composite material , optics , engineering , medicine , ecology , physical therapy , biology
Mobile microvortices generated by rotating nickel (Ni) nanowires (NW) have been reported as capable of inducing fluidic trapping that can be precisely focused and translated to manipulate microobjects. Here, a new design for significantly enhanced fluidic trapping is reported, which is a dumbbell (DB)‐shaped magnetic actuator, assembled by a Ni NW and two polystyrene microbeads. In contrast to the single mode of tumbling trapping possessed by Ni NW, the magnetic dumbbell is able to perform dynamical trapping and implement on‐demand transport of microobjects in three modes, i.e., tumbling, wobbling, and rolling. Experiments are conducted to demonstrate the robustness and efficacy of the fluidic trap by the DB actuator. And simulations using a finite element model compare the fluidic traps induced by NW and DB, followed by further discussion on the actuation and transport efficiency of NW and DB fluidic tweezers (FT). At last, some practical issues regarding the application of DB FT are addressed.