Electroosmosis with step changes in zeta potential in microchannels

Effect of skimming layer in an electroosmotically driven viscoelastic fluid flow over charge modulated walls

We report a numerical study on the effect of the skimming layer in an EOF of Oldroyd-B fluid over charge modulated walls. Three types of flow conditions were identified on the basis of the relative thickness of the skimming layer and the electrical double layer. We observe maximum slip velocity magnitude when the skimming layer thickness is very less than the thickness of the electrical double layer. For higher skimming layer thickness compared to the thickness of electrical double layer, slip velocity magnitude attenuates, and the polymeric stress inside the skimming layer becomes zero. Enhanced fluid elasticity generates asymmetric flow structures inside the microchannel, which can also be achieved by imposing an asymmetric surface charge along the channel walls. Our present analysis highlights the complex flow dynamics of the EOF of biofluids/polymeric fluids with a near-wall region depleted of macro-molecules.

Analytical Solution of Time-Periodic Electroosmotic Flow through Cylindrical Microchannel with Non-Uniform Surface Potential

Time-periodic electroosmotic flow (EOF) with heterogeneous surface charges on channel walls can potentially be used to mix species or reagent molecules in microfluidic devices. Although significant research efforts have been placed to understand different aspects of EOF, its role in the mixing process is still poorly understood, especially for non-homogeneous surface charge cases. In this work, dynamic aspects of EOF in a cylindrical capillary are analyzed for heterogeneous surface charges. Closed form analytical solutions for time-periodic EOF are obtained by solving the Navier-Stokes equation. An analytical expression of induced pressure is also obtained from the velocity field solution. The results show that several vortices can be formed inside the microchannel with sinusoidal surface charge distribution. These vortices change their pattern and direction as the electric field change its strength and direction with time. In addition, the structure and strength of the vorticity depend on the frequency of the external electric field and the size of the channel. As the electric field frequency or channel diameter increases, vortices are shifted towards the channel surface and the perturbed flow region becomes smaller, which is not desired for effective mixing. Moreover, the number of vorticities depends on the periodicity of the surface charge.

Taylor dispersion in equilibrium gradient focusing at steady state

An analytic expression is presented for the effective dispersion coefficient in the case where a solute is focused in a parabolic flow against a linear gradient in a restoring force. This expression was derived by employing a minor variation on the method of moments used by Aris in his development of the dispersion coefficients for a time-dependent, isocratic system. In the present case, dispersion is controlled by two dimensionless groups, a Peclet number which is proportional to the parabolic component of the flow, and a gradient number which is proportional to the slope of the restoring force. These results confirm that the Aris-Taylor expression for the dispersion coefficient should not be applied in cases where a solute is focused to a stationary steady state.