Patterning electro-osmotic flow with patterned surface charge

This Letter reports the measurement of electro-osmotic flows (EOF) in microchannels with surface charge patterned on the 200 microm scale. We have investigated two classes of patterns: (1) Those in which the surface charge varies along a direction perpendicular to the electric field used to drive th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 84; no. 15; p. 3314
Main Authors Stroock, A D, Weck, M, Chiu, D T, Huck, W T, Kenis, P J, Ismagilov, R F, Whitesides, G M
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 10.04.2000
Subjects
Electrochemistry
Kinetics
Models, Theoretical
Osmosis
Pattern Recognition, Automated
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Summary:This Letter reports the measurement of electro-osmotic flows (EOF) in microchannels with surface charge patterned on the 200 microm scale. We have investigated two classes of patterns: (1) Those in which the surface charge varies along a direction perpendicular to the electric field used to drive the EOF; this type of pattern generates multidirectional flow along the direction of the field. (2) Those in which the surface charge pattern varies parallel to the field; this pattern generates recirculating cellular flow, and thus causes motion both parallel and perpendicular to the external field. Measurements of both of these flows agree well with theory in the limit of thin double layers and low surface potential.
ISSN:0031-9007
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.3314