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The primary challenge of salt hydrates as phase change materials (PCMs) is their high degree of supercooling (∆TSup). Past studies have attempted to alleviate ∆TSup by incorporating nucleators possessing similar lattice structure, without a thorough analysis of the nucleator/PCM interactions. This work presents a novel in‐operando study to visually observe the crystallization process of zinc nitrate hexahydrate (ZNH) in real‐time using suitable nucleators and a thickener. We have introduced a new dataset where zinc acetate dihydrate (ZnAc.2H) has been employed as an additive to ZNH for thermal energy storage (TES). According to our in‐operando study, ZnAc.2H underwent hydrolysis in molten ZNH to precipitate needle‐like ZnO particles, which acted as nucleators for the PCM. In the absence of a thickener, the crystal propagation of ZNH exhibited a preferential directional tendency, whereas incorporation of thickener made the phase change process uniform along all directions. Self‐hydrolysis of ZnAc.2H generated excess water which caused the undesirable effect of broadening the endothermic peak. The addition of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) thickener could restrict the activity of excess water and reduce the broadening of the endothermic peak. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that 5 wt% ZnAc.2H additive and 2 wt% CMC thickener added to ZNH can considerably improve the TES properties of ZNH PCM (∆HFusion 125.9 J·g−1, ∆TSup 3.0°C, melting point [M.P.] 29.0°C). Our in‐operando studies can unveil real‐time phase change behaviors to better design PCM systems with desired characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we have designed and fabricated a microfluidic channel to focus biological cells using dielectrophoresis for cytometry applications. The device consists of an elliptic-like channel fabricated by isotropic etching of soda lime glass wafers and a subsequent wafer-bonding process. Microelectrodes are patterned on the circumference of the channel to generate ac fringing fields that result in negative dielectrophoretic forces directing cells from all directions to the center of the channel. An analysis using a thin shell model and experiments with microbeads and human leukemia HL60 cells indicate that biological cells can be focused using an ac voltage of an amplitude up to 15 [V.sub.p-p] and a frequency below 100 kHz, respectively. This design eliminates the sheath flow and the fluid control system that makes conventional cytometers bulky, complicated, and difficult to operate, and offers the advantages of a portable module that could potentially be integrated with on-chip impedance or optical sensors into a micro total analysis system. [1219] Index Terms--Cytometry, dielectrophoresis, microcytometer, microfluids, 3-D focusing.