Artificial cilia for active micro-fluidic mixing.
In lab-on-chip devices, on which complete (bio-)chemical analysis laboratories are miniaturized and integrated, it is essential to manipulate fluids in sub-millimetre channels and sub-microlitre chambers. A special challenge in these small micro-fluidic systems is to create good mixing flows, since it is almost impossible to generate turbulence. We propose an active micro-fluidic mixing concept inspired by nature, namely by micro-organisms that swim through a liquid by oscillating microscopic hairs, cilia, that cover their surface. We have fabricated artificial cilia consisting of electro-statically actuated polymer structures, and have integrated these in a micro-fluidic channel. Flow visualization experiments show that the cilia can generate substantial fluid velocities, up to 0.6 mm s(-1). In addition, very efficient mixing is obtained using specially designed geometrical cilia configurations in a micro-channel. Since the artificial cilia can be actively controlled using electrical signals, they have exciting applications in micro-fluidic devices.
Toonder
Jaap den
Jd
Philips Research Laboratories, High Tech Campus, 5656, AE, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. jaap.den.toonder@philips.com
Bos
Femke
F
Broer
Dick
D
Filippini
Laura
L
Gillies
Murray
M
de Goede
Judith
J
Mol
Titie
T
Reijme
Mireille
M
Talen
Wim
W
Wilderbeek
Hans
H
Khatavkar
Vinayak
V
Anderson
Patrick
P