Rational design of robust flower-like sharp-edge acoustic micromixers towards efficient engineering of functional 3D ZnO nanorod array

Zhao, Xiong; Chen, Hongqiang; Xiao, Yaxuan; Zhang, Jinhua; Qiu, Yinan; Wei, Jinjia; Hao, Nanjing

doi:10.1016/j.cej.2022.137547

Cited by 20 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…While some micromixers make use of acoustic techniques to generate vortices or disturbances in the bulk fluid, either by actuating extended structures such as cantilever beams or membranes [30,31] or by creating complex vortices using the interference of effects from nearby structures [32,33], these methods can produce complex vortices and generate considerable heat. As a result, challenges exist in stabilizing and safely eliminating bubbles [34].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel DC Electroosmotic Micromixer Based on Helical Vortices

Saravanakumar,

Jamshidi Seresht,

Izquierdo

et al. 2024

Actuators

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This work introduces a novel direct current electroosmosis (DCEO) micromixer designed for rapid and efficient fluid mixing. This micromixer demonstrates excellent capability, achieving approximately 98.5% mixing efficiency within a one-second timespan and 99.8% efficiency within two seconds, all within a simple channel of only 1000 µm in length. A distinctive feature of this micromixer is its ability to generate robust and stable helical vortices by applying a controlled DC electric field. Unlike complex, intricate microfluidic designs, this work proposes a simple yet effective approach to fluid mixing, making it a versatile tool suitable for various applications. In addition, through simple modifications to the driving signal configuration and channel geometry, the mixing efficiency can be further enhanced to 99.3% in one second.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Novel DC Electroosmotic Micromixer Based on Helical Vortices

Saravanakumar,

Jamshidi Seresht,

Izquierdo

et al. 2024

Actuators

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“…These advantages include higher yield of the chemical processes while promoting efficient reaction kinetics, heat and mass transfer [44]. Compared to conventional batch reactors, the continuous process in microchannel reactors enables a reduction in time to below 1 min, often only requiring a few seconds to produce the desired output [45]. Furthermore, microchannel reactors have large surface area-to-volume ratios at about 20,000 m 2 m −3 in contrast to conventional reactors with 1000 m 2 m −3 [46].…”

Section: Microchannel Reactor Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhancing Biodiesel Production: A Review of Microchannel Reactor Technologies

Subramaniam,

Wong,

Wong

et al. 2024

Energies

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The depletion of fossil fuels, along with the environmental damages brought by their usage, calls for the development of a clean, sustainable and renewable source of energy. Biofuel, predominantly liquid biofuel such as biodiesel, is a promising alternative to fossil fuels, due to its compatible direct usage within the context of compression ignition engines. However, the industrial production of biodiesel is far from being energy and time efficient, which contributes to its high production cost. These inefficiencies are attributed to poor heat and mass transfer of the transesterification reaction. The utilisation of microchannel reactors is found to be excellent in escalating heat and mass transfer of the reactants, benefitting from their high surface area-to-volume ratio. The microchannel also intensifies the mixing of reactants via the reactor design, micromixers and the slug flow patterns within the reactor, thus enhancing the contact between reactants. Simulation studies have aided in the identification of mixing regimes within the microchannel reactors, induced by various reactor designs. In addition, microwave irradiation heating is found to enhance biodiesel production by localised superheating delivered directly to the reactants at a molecular level. This enables the reaction to begin much earlier, resulting in rapid biodiesel production. It is postulated that the synergy between microchannel reactors and microwave heating would catapult a pathway towards rapid and energy-efficient biodiesel production by enhancing heat and mass transfer between reactants.

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“…Vortex-based microfluidics has attracted considerable attention over the past decades as a means of performing mixing, capturing, sorting, and rotating microscale objects. − It is known that vortices are harmful in most macroscopic fluid flows and need to be avoided due to the additional pressure drop and flow-induced vibration (FIV) . Instead, microvortices are of great use to microfluidic systems because they are conducive to the manipulation of fluids and particles, which have been used for the rapid and controlled synthesis of functional nanomaterials and tunable processing and analysis of particulate samples (such as cells and colloids). , For example, Zhang et al proposed flower-like micromixers based on acoustic microvortices for developing ZnO nanorod arrays . Thurgood et al reported a new mechanism for generating dynamic vortices in microfluidics at low static flow rates and demonstrated its application for cellular assays, fluid mixing, and pulsed injection. , Khojah et al uncovered a new size-dependent particle trapping phenomenon in microvortices that enables tunable cell capture .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…9,10 For example, Zhang et al proposed flower-like micromixers based on acoustic microvortices for developing ZnO nanorod arrays. 11 Thurgood et al reported a new mechanism for generating dynamic vortices in microfluidics at low static flow rates and demonstrated its application for cellular assays, fluid mixing, and pulsed injection. 12,13 new size-dependent particle trapping phenomenon in microvortices that enables tunable cell capture.…”

Section: ■ Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vortex-Enhanced Microfluidic Chip for Efficient Mixing and Particle Capturing Combining Acoustics with Inertia

Lu,

Tan,

et al. 2024

Anal. Chem.

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Vortex-based microfluidics has received significant attention for its unique characteristics of high efficiency, flexible control, and label-free properties for the past decades. Herein, we present a vortex-based acousto-inertial chip that allows both fluid and particle manipulation within a significantly wider flow range and lower excitation voltage. Composed of contraction−expansion array structures and vibrating microstructures combined with bubbles and sharp edges, such a configuration results in more vigorous vortical fluid motions. The overall improvement in device performance comes from the synergistic effect of acoustics and inertia, as well as the positive feedback loop formed by vibrating bubbles and sharp edges. We characterize flow patterns in the microchannels by fluorescence particle tracer experiments and uncover single-and double-vortex modes over a range of sample flow rates and excitation voltages. On this basis, the ability of rapid and efficient sample homogenization up to a flow rate of 200 μL/min under an excitation voltage of 15 V pp is verified by a two-fluid fluorescence mixing experiment. Moreover, the recirculation motion of particles in microvortices is investigated by using a high-speed imaging system. We also quantitatively measure the particle velocity variation on the trajectory and illustrate the capturing mechanism, which results from the interaction of the microvortices, particle dynamics, and composite microstructure perturbations. Further utilizing the shear forces derived by microvortices, our acousto-inertial chip is demonstrated to lysis red blood cells (RBCs) in a continuous, reagent-free manner. The high controllability and multifunction of this technology allow for the development of multistep miniaturized "lab-on-chip" analytical systems, which could significantly broaden the application of microvortex technology in biological, chemical, and clinical applications.

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Rational design of robust flower-like sharp-edge acoustic micromixers towards efficient engineering of functional 3D ZnO nanorod array

Cited by 20 publications

References 37 publications

A Novel DC Electroosmotic Micromixer Based on Helical Vortices

A Novel DC Electroosmotic Micromixer Based on Helical Vortices

Enhancing Biodiesel Production: A Review of Microchannel Reactor Technologies

Vortex-Enhanced Microfluidic Chip for Efficient Mixing and Particle Capturing Combining Acoustics with Inertia

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