The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

Manipulations of microfluidic droplets using electrorheological carrier fluid

Manipulations of microfluidic droplets using electrorheological carrier fluid
Manipulations of microfluidic droplets using electrorheological carrier fluid
Electrorheological (ER) fluids are a type of ‘‘smart’’ colloid capable of reversible viscosity variations, or even solidification, in response to an applied electric field. The response time can be as short as a few milliseconds. By using the ER fluid as the carrier fluid in microfluidic chips, we report the generation and manipulation of microdroplets and bubbles via integrated, digitally controlled micro-electrodes equipped with a feedback system. By utilizing the strong electric response of the ER fluid, the flow rate can be easily controlled digitally, thereby making tunable the size of the droplets generated and their separations. In particular, ordering change in a chain of droplets is demonstrated. The maneuverability presented in this paper may have potential applications in a variety of lab chips for chemical reactions, bioassays, as well as microfluidic logic computation.
1539-3755
066305-[5pp]
Zhang, Mengying
7d3eb8b3-bd02-47a2-bf03-3e000f9e2fd7
Wu, Jinbo
064c0d27-3a88-4ed1-aa8a-bf32cd254dd9
Niu, Xize
f3d964fb-23b4-45db-92fe-02426e4e76fa
Wen, Weijia
8077209d-a633-4e3c-b0b6-16ddddb7a153
Sheng, Ping
4552ac2e-9e10-427f-a8b2-7d23c4a3a150
Zhang, Mengying
7d3eb8b3-bd02-47a2-bf03-3e000f9e2fd7
Wu, Jinbo
064c0d27-3a88-4ed1-aa8a-bf32cd254dd9
Niu, Xize
f3d964fb-23b4-45db-92fe-02426e4e76fa
Wen, Weijia
8077209d-a633-4e3c-b0b6-16ddddb7a153
Sheng, Ping
4552ac2e-9e10-427f-a8b2-7d23c4a3a150

Zhang, Mengying, Wu, Jinbo, Niu, Xize, Wen, Weijia and Sheng, Ping (2008) Manipulations of microfluidic droplets using electrorheological carrier fluid. Physical Review E, 78 (6), 066305-[5pp]. (doi:10.1103/PhysRevE.78.066305).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Electrorheological (ER) fluids are a type of ‘‘smart’’ colloid capable of reversible viscosity variations, or even solidification, in response to an applied electric field. The response time can be as short as a few milliseconds. By using the ER fluid as the carrier fluid in microfluidic chips, we report the generation and manipulation of microdroplets and bubbles via integrated, digitally controlled micro-electrodes equipped with a feedback system. By utilizing the strong electric response of the ER fluid, the flow rate can be easily controlled digitally, thereby making tunable the size of the droplets generated and their separations. In particular, ordering change in a chain of droplets is demonstrated. The maneuverability presented in this paper may have potential applications in a variety of lab chips for chemical reactions, bioassays, as well as microfluidic logic computation.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 9 December 2008
Organisations: Mechatronics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 199893
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/199893
ISSN: 1539-3755
PURE UUID: ee19898f-78cd-4a53-b449-62585869e08f

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 21 Oct 2011 15:35
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 04:18

Export record

Altmetrics

Contributors

Author: Mengying Zhang
Author: Jinbo Wu
Author: Xize Niu
Author: Weijia Wen
Author: Ping Sheng

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×