Open AccessPrediction of the contact angle of colloids and microfluids during electrowetting
Author(s) -
Hadidimasouleh Roghayeh,
Sahba Yaghmaee Maziar,
Raissi Babak,
Riahifar Reza
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
micro and nano letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.25
H-Index - 31
ISSN - 1750-0443
DOI - 10.1049/mnl.2016.0327
Subject(s) - contact angle , electrowetting , wetting , colloid , superposition principle , materials science , saturation (graph theory) , capillary action , surface energy , permittivity , mechanics , microfluidics , optics , thermodynamics , chemistry , nanotechnology , composite material , dielectric , physics , optoelectronics , mathematics , quantum mechanics , combinatorics
A new generalised model of the electrowetting of microfluids has been proposed. Instead of the conventional Young–Lippmann formula, dynamic minimising of the total energy of system which is superposition of capillary free energy and electric energy has been utilised to calculate the contact angle as indicator of wetting behaviour. The change of interfacial energy of liquid/solid interface and change in relative permittivity of solution in the presence of colloid particles have also been considered in the developed model. The model predicts that contact angle saturation decreases in the presence of colloid particles both in DC and AC conditions. The model also predicts that the reduction of contact angle by applying potential is higher in the case of TiO 2 /water microfluidic system which is in agreement with experimental data reported in literature.