Acoustically induced bubbles in a microfluidic channel for mixing enhancement

作者：Wang S S; Jiao Z J; Huang X Y; Yang C^*; Nguyen N T

来源：Microfluidics and Nanofluidics, 2009, 6(6): 847-852.

DOI：10.1007/s10404-008-0357-6

• Microfluidics
• Mixing
• Acoustic cavitation

Due to small dimensions and low fluid velocity, mixing in microfluidic systems is usually poor. In this study, we report a method of enhancing microfluidic mixing using acoustically induced gas bubbles. The effect of applied frequency on mixing was investigated over the range 0.5-10 kHz. Under either low frequency 0.5 kHz or high frequency 10 kHz, no noticeable improvement in the present mixer was observed. However, a significant increase in the mixing efficiency was achieved within a window of the frequencies between 1.0 and 5.0 kHz. It was found in our present microfluidic structure, single (or multi-) bubble(s) could be acoustically generated under the frequency ranging from 1.0 to 5.0 kHz by a piezoelectric disc. The interaction between bubble and acoustic field causes bubble oscillation which in turn could disturb local flow field to result in mixing enhancement.

• 出版日期2009-6
• 单位南阳理工学院