Fluid Control in Multichannel Structures by Electrocapillary Pressure

We demonstrate control of fluid motion in three-dimensional structures with thousands of microchannels. Fluids are manipulated via an electrocapillary pressure, originating from electrostatic control of the solid/fluid interfacial tension in the microchannels. Reversible fluid displacement has been...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2001-01, Vol.291 (5502), p.277-280
Main Authors: Prins, M. W. J., Welters, W. J. J., Weekamp, J. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Applied fluid mechanics
Aqueous solutions
Chemistry
Communication channels
Electric potential
Electrodes
Electrostatics
Exact sciences and technology
Experiments
Fluid dynamics
Fluid mechanics
Fluidics
Fluids
Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications)
Hydrostatic pressure
Interfacial tension
Molecules
Physics
Velocity
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Summary:We demonstrate control of fluid motion in three-dimensional structures with thousands of microchannels. Fluids are manipulated via an electrocapillary pressure, originating from electrostatic control of the solid/fluid interfacial tension in the microchannels. Reversible fluid displacement has been achieved for all channel orientations with respect to gravity. The velocities of several centimeters per second are nearly two orders of magnitude higher than the velocities demonstrated by other electrofluidic actuation principles.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.291.5502.277