Title

Droplet actuation in an electrified microfluidic network

Authors

Authors

J. D. Wehking;R. Kumar

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Lab Chip

Keywords

ELECTROHYDRODYNAMIC DEFORMATION; FIELDS; SHEAR; BURST; FLOW; Biochemical Research Methods; Chemistry, Multidisciplinary; Nanoscience; & Nanotechnology

Abstract

This work demonstrates that liquid droplet emulsions in a microchannel can be deformed, decelerated and/or pinned by applying a suitable electrical potential. By concentrating a potential gradient at the corners, we show that different droplets can be passively binned by size and on demand in a branched microfluidic device. The deformation, deceleration, squeezing and release of droplets in a three-dimensional numerical simulation are qualitatively verified by experiments in a PDMS microfluidic device. The forces required for pinning or binning a droplet provide a delicate balance between hydrodynamics and the electric field, and are obtained using appropriate non-dimensional parameters.

Journal Title

Lab on a Chip

Volume

15

Issue/Number

3

Publication Date

1-1-2015

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

793

Last Page

801

WOS Identifier

WOS:000348379200025

ISSN

1473-0197

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