title: Passive micromixer using by convection and surface tension effects with air-liquid interface.
abstract: This article describes a passive micromixer that utilizes an air-liquid interface and surface tension effects to enhance fluid mixing via convection and Marangoni effects. Performance of the microfluidic component is tested within a passive-pumping-based device that consists of three microchannels connected in succession using passive micro-mixers. Mixing was quantified at 5 key points along the length of the device using microscope images of patterned streams of Alexa 488 fluorescent-dyed water and pure DI water flowing through the device. The passive micro-mixer mixed fluid 15-20 times more effectively than diffusion between laminar flow streams alone and is a novel micro-mixer embodiment that provides an additional strategy for removing external components from microscale devices for simpler, autonomous operation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 136-703, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jongil
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.affiliation: Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705 USA ; Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715 USA.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Warrick
keywords: Autonomous operation; Convection and Marangoni effect; Passive micromixer; Surface tension
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