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A novel microfluidic mixer utilizing electrokinetic driving forces under low switching frequency
Author(s) -
Fu LungMing,
Yang RueyJen,
Lin CheHsin,
Chien YuSheng
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
electrophoresis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.666
H-Index - 158
eISSN - 1522-2683
pISSN - 0173-0835
DOI - 10.1002/elps.200410222
Subject(s) - micromixer , electrokinetic phenomena , microfluidics , mixing (physics) , voltage , electric field , materials science , power (physics) , low frequency , mechanics , optoelectronics , nanotechnology , electrical engineering , physics , engineering , quantum mechanics , astronomy
Abstract This paper presents a novel technique in which low‐frequency periodic electrokinetic driving forces are utilized to mix electrolytic fluid samples rapidly and efficiently in a double‐T‐form microfluidic mixer. Without using any additional equipment to induce flow perturbations, only a single high‐voltage power source is required for simultaneously driving and mixing the sample fluids which results in a simple and low‐cost system for the mixing purpose. The effectiveness of the mixer as a function of the applied electric field and the periodic switching frequency is characterized by the intensity distribution calculated downstream from the mixing zone. The present numerical and experimental results confirm that the proposed double‐T‐form micromixer has excellent mixing capabilities. The mixing efficiency can be as high as 95% within a mixing length of 1000 μm downstream from the secondary T‐junction when a 100 V/cm driving electric field strength and a 2 Hz periodic switching frequency are applied. The results reveal that the optimal switching frequency depends upon the magnitude of the main applied electrical field. The rapid double‐T‐form microfluidic mixer using the periodic driving voltage switching model proposed in this study has considerable potential for use in lab‐on‐a‐chip systems.