Improvement of rectification effects in diffuser/nozzle structures with viscoelastic fluids.
This paper reports the improvement of rectification effects in diffusernozzle structures with viscoelastic fluids. Since rectification in a diffusernozzle structure with Newtonian fluids is caused by inertial effects, micropumps based on this concept require a relatively high Reynolds numbers and high pumping frequencies. In applications with relatively low Reynolds numbers, anisotropic behavior can be achieved with viscoelastic effects. In our investigations, a solution of dilute polyethylene oxide was used as the viscoelastic fluid. A microfluidic device was fabricated in silicon using deep reactive ion etching. The microfluidic device consists of access ports for pressure measurement, and a series of ten diffusernozzle structures. Measurements were carried out for diffusernozzle structures with opening angles ranging from 15 degrees to 60 degrees . Flow visualization, pressure drop and diodicity of de-ionized water and the viscoelastic fluid were compared and discussed. The improvement of diodicity promises a simple pumping concept at low Reynolds numbers for lab-on-a-chip applications.
Nguyen
Nam-Trung
NT
Lam
Yee-Cheong
YC
Ho
Soon-Seng
SS
Low
Cassandra Lee-Ngo
CL
Science. 2003 May 9;300(5621):955-8
12738857
Phys Rev Lett. 2004 Mar 5;92(9):094501
15089471
IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectr Freq Control. 2000;47(6):1463-71
18238693