Back to Search Start Over

Analysis of Sequential Micromixing Driven by Sinusoidally Shaped Induced-Charge Electroosmotic Flow

Authors :
Haizhen Sun
Ziyi Li
Yongji Wu
Xinjian Fan
Minglu Zhu
Tao Chen
Lining Sun
Source :
Micromachines, Vol 13, Iss 11, p 1985 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2022.

Abstract

Multi-fluid micromixing, which has rarely been explored, typically represents a highly sought-after technique in on-chip biochemical and biomedical assays. Herein, we propose a novel micromixing approach utilizing induced-charge electroosmosis (ICEO) to implement multicomplex mixing between parallel streams. The variations of ICEO microvortices above a sinusoidally shaped floating electrode (SSFE) are first investigated to better understand the microvortex development and the resultant mixing process within a confined channel. On this basis, a mathematical model of the vortex index is newly developed to predict the mixing degree along the microchannel. The negative exponential distribution obtained between the vortex index and mixing index demonstrates an efficient model to describe the mixing performance without solving the coupled diffusion and momentum equations. Specifically, sufficient mixing with a mixing index higher than 0.9 can be achieved when the vortex index exceeds 51, and the mixing efficiency reaches a plateau at an AC frequency close to 100 Hz. Further, a rectangle floating electrode (RFE) is deposited before SSFE to enhance the controlled sequence for three-fluid mixing. One side fluid can fully mix with the middle fluid with a mixing index of 0.623 above RFE in the first mixing stage and achieve entire-channel mixing with a mixing index of 0.983 above SSFE in the second mixing stage, thereby enabling on-demand sequential mixing. As a proof of concept, this work can provide a robust alternative technique for multi-objective issues and structural design related to mixers.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
2072666X
Volume :
13
Issue :
11
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Micromachines
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.5e258a3e0c054c98800839badcff1333
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/mi13111985