Liquid Mixing Based on Electrokinetic Vortices Generated in a T-Type Microchannel

Abstract

This article proposes a micromixer based on the vortices generated in a T-type microchannel with nonuniform but same polarity zeta potentials under a direct current (DC) electric field. The downstream section (modified section) of the outlet channel was designed with a smaller zeta potential than others (unmodified section). When a DC electric field is applied in the microchannel, the electrokinetic vortices will form under certain conditions and hence mix the solution. The numerical results show that the mixing performance is better when the channel width and the zeta potential ratio of the modified section to the unmodified section are smaller. Besides, the electrokinetic vortices formed in the microchannel are stronger under a larger length ratio of the modified section to the unmodified section of the outlet channel, and correspondingly, the mixing performance is better. The micromixer presented in the paper is quite simple in structure and has good potential applications in microfluidic devices.