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Passive micromixer using by convection and surface tension effects with air-liquid interface

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul, 136-703, Korea

    Jongil Ju

  2. Wisconsin Institute for Medical Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53705, USA

    Jay Warrick

  3. Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA

    Jay Warrick

Authors
  1. Jongil Ju
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  2. Jay Warrick
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Correspondence to Jongil Ju.

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Ju, J., Warrick, J. Passive micromixer using by convection and surface tension effects with air-liquid interface. BioChip J 7, 361–366 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-013-7407-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13206-013-7407-1

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