title: Surface tension drawing of liquid from microplate capillary wells.
abstract: Pressure differentials are routinely used to actuate flow in capillaries. We advance here an alternative means of flow generation that capitalizes on the extension of a liquid bridge achieved by the drawing of a rod through the action of surface tension. This meets the exigencies of creating controllable flow using simpler and more compact means. We found the ability to generate controllable flow to be strongly affected by the liquid bridge sustaining features, and that the use of rod diameters larger than the capillary was more conducive. The extensional flow resulting from the rupture of the liquid bridge was also found to have a strong circulation component which facilitated mixing. The approach here is highly amenable for use in capillary well microplates which have significant advantages over standard microplates. The features of this approach offer usage possibilities in biochemical applications in the field, such as in the leukocyte cell adhesion and hemagglutination tests of blood samples.
authors: Laboratory for Optics, Acoustics, and Mechanics, Department of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia.
authors: Willem
authors: W
authors: Schwalb
authors: Tuck Wah
authors: TW
authors: Ng
authors: Jonathan Kok Keung
authors: JK
authors: Lye
authors: Oi Wah
authors: OW
authors: Liew
authors: Brandon Huey-Ping
authors: BH
authors: Cheong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D006384:Hemagglutination; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D046210:Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate; D013500:Surface Tension
chemical_list: D019904:Polymethyl Methacrylate