An acoustofluidic micromixer based on oscillating sidewall sharp-edges
Figure: (a) Schematic of the sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic mixing device. This device includes a PDMS microfluidic channel and a piezoelectric transducer. (b) Schematic showing the acoustic streaming phenomenon around the tip of an acoustically oscillated sharp-edge. (c) Schematic showing the design of the channel and sharp-edge.
Rapid and homogeneous mixing inside a microfluidic channel is demonstrated via the acoustic streaming phenomenon induced by the oscillation of sidewall sharp-edges. By optimizing the design of the sharpedges, excellent mixing performance and fast mixing speed can be achieved in a simple device, making our sharp-edge-based acoustic micromixer a promising candidate for a wide variety of applications.
A reliable and programmable acoustofluidic pump powered by oscillating sharp-edge structures
Figure: (a) Schematic of the sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic pumping device. This device includes a PDMS microfluidic channel and a piezoelectric transducer. (b) Schematic showing the acoustic streaming phenomenon around the tip of a tilted oscillating sharp-edge structure. (c) Schematic showing the design of the channel and sharp-edge structure.
We present a programmable acoustofluidic pump that utilizes the acoustic streaming effects generated by the oscillation of tilted sharp-edge structures. This sharp-edge-based acoustofluidic pump is capable of generating stable flow rates as high as 8 μL min−1 (~76 Pa of pumping pressure), and it can tune flow rates across a wide range (nanoliters to microliters per minute). Along with its ability to reliably produce stable and tunable flow rates, the acoustofluidic pump is easy to operate and requires minimum hardware, showing great potential for a variety of applications.
References:
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