An Experimental and Numerical Study of a Liquid Mixing Device for Microsystems

Abstract

A microfluidic mixing device for microsystems with electroosmotic flow (EOF)-driven liquid pumping is proposed and examined experimentally and numerically. Microchannels with SiO2 or Al2O3 wall are fabricated by using surface micromachining technique, and the EOF velocity for each microchannel is measured. A sample device where part of the SiO2 wall is covered with a patterned Al2O3 thin film is fabricated to demonstrate the proposed flow pattern change. Results of numerical calculations suggest mixing enhancement effect.