Name: assembly and characterization of an external driver for the generation of sub-kilohertz oscillatory flow in microchannels
Uploaded: 2022-01-28T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Assembly and Characterization of an External Driver for the Generation of Sub-Kilohertz Oscillatory Flow in Microchannels at JoVE.com

We would like to acknowledge the support given and facilities provided by the Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering Rapid Prototyping Lab at the University of Illinois to enable this work.

1. Rapid prototype mold design and fabrication
<ol>
	<li>Open AutoCAD on a PC. Select File on the taskbar, then select Open and browse to and click on a three-dimensional (3D) model file of the channel mold having .dxf or .dwg extension.</li>
	<li>Select the entire model by clicking and dragging a box around it. Export the design as a .stl file by selecting File |&#160;Export,&#160;then Other formats and choosing .stl from the dropdown...

<ol>
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R., Dutta, D., Islam, N., Dutta, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Review:+Electric+field+driven+pumping+in+microfluidic+device.">Review: Electric field driven pumping in microfluidic device.</a> Electrophoresis. 39 (5-6), 702-731 (2018).</li><li>Dincau, B., Dressaire, E., Sauret, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Pulsatile+Flow+in+Microfluidic+Systems.">Pulsatile Flow in Microfluidic Systems.</a> Small. 16 (9), 1904032 (2020).</li><li>Thurgood, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Tunable+Harmonic+Flow+Patterns+in+Microfluidic+Systems+through+Simple+Tube+Oscillation.">Tunable Harmonic Flow Patterns in Microfluidic Systems through Simple Tube Oscillation.</a> Small. 16 (43), 2003612 (2020).</li><li>Xia, H. M., Wu, J. W., Zheng, J. J., Zhang, J., Wang, Z. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Nonlinear+microfluidics:+device+physics,+functions,+and+applications.">Nonlinear microfluidics: device physics, functions, and applications.</a> Lab on a Chip. 21, 1241-1268 (2021).</li><li>Glasgow, I., Aubry, N. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Enhancement+of+microfluidic+mixing+using+time+pulsing.">Enhancement of microfluidic mixing using time pulsing.</a> Lab on a Chip. 3 (2), 114-120 (2003).</li><li>Zhang, P., Bachman, H., Ozcelik, A., Huang, T. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Acoustic+Microfluidics.">Acoustic Microfluidics.</a> Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry. 13, 17-43 (2020).</li><li>Lieu, V. H., House, T. A., Schwartz, D. T. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Hydrodynamic+Tweezers:+Impact+of+Design+Geometry+on+Flow+and+Microparticle+Trapping.">Hydrodynamic Tweezers: Impact of Design Geometry on Flow and Microparticle Trapping.</a> Analytical Chemistry. 84 (4), 1963-1968 (2012).</li><li>Jain, R., Darling, R. B., Lutz, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Frequency+characterization+of+flow+magnitude+and+phase+in+resonant+microfluidic+circuits.">Frequency characterization of flow magnitude and phase in resonant microfluidic circuits.</a> Analytical Methods. 9, 5425-5432 (2017).</li><li>Squires, T. M., Quake, S. R. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microfluidics:+Fluid+physics+at+the+nanoliter+scale.">Microfluidics: Fluid physics at the nanoliter scale.</a> Reviews of Modern Physics. 77, 977 (2005).</li><li>Zhang, C., Guo, X., Brunet, P., Costalonga, M., Royon, L. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Acoustic+streaming+near+a+sharp+structure+and+its+mixing+performance+characterization.">Acoustic streaming near a sharp structure and its mixing performance characterization.</a> Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. 23 (9), 104 (2019).</li><li>Abolhasani, M., Oskooei, A., Klinkova, A., Kumacheva, E., G&#252;nther, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Shaken,+and+stirred:+oscillatory+segmented+flow+for+controlled+size-evolution+of+colloidal+nanomaterials.">Shaken, and stirred: oscillatory segmented flow for controlled size-evolution of colloidal nanomaterials.</a> Lab on a Chip. 14, 2309-2318 (2014).</li><li>Thameem, R., Rallabandi, B., Hilgenfeldt, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fast+inertial+particle+manipulation+in+oscillating+flows.">Fast inertial particle manipulation in oscillating flows.</a> Physical Review Fluids. 2 (5), 052001 (2017).</li><li>Vishwanathan, G., Juarez, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Inertial+focusing+in+planar+pulsatile+flows.">Inertial focusing in planar pulsatile flows.</a> Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 921, 1 (2021).</li><li>Geschiere, S. D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Slow+growth+of+the+Rayleigh-Plateau+instability+in+aqueous+two+phase+systems.">Slow growth of the Rayleigh-Plateau instability in aqueous two phase systems.</a> Biomicrofluidics. 6, 022007 (2012).</li><li>V&#225;zquez-Vergara, P., Torres Rojas, A. M., Guevara-Pantoja, P. E., Poir&#233;, E. C., Caballero-Robledo, G. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Microfluidic+flow+spectrometer.">Microfluidic flow spectrometer.</a> Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. 27, 077001 (2017).</li><li>Sauret, A., Shum, H. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Forced+generation+of+simple+and+double+emulsions+in+all-aqueous+systems.">Forced generation of simple and double emulsions in all-aqueous systems.</a> Applied Physics Letters. 100, 154106 (2012).</li><li>Vishwanathan, G., Juarez, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Steady+streaming+viscometry+of+Newtonian+liquids+in+microfluidic+devices.">Steady streaming viscometry of Newtonian liquids in microfluidic devices.</a> Physics of Fluids. 31, 041701 (2019).</li><li>Vishwanathan, G., Juarez, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Steady+streaming+flows+in+viscoelastic+liquids.">Steady streaming flows in viscoelastic liquids.</a> Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics. 271, 104143 (2019).</li><li>Vishwanathan, G., Juarez, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Generation+and+application+of+sub-kilohertz+oscillatory+flows+in+microchannels.">Generation and application of sub-kilohertz oscillatory flows in microchannels.</a> Microfluidics and Nanofluidics. 24, 69 (2020).</li></ol>

We have demonstrated the assembly (see protocol critical steps 3 and 4) and operation (see protocol critical steps 5 and 6) of an external speaker-based apparatus for the generation of oscillatory flow with frequencies in the range of 10 to 1000 Hz in microfluidic devices. Particle tracking of suspended tracer particles is required to determine the fidelity of the harmonic motion as well as for calibrating the range of oscillation amplitudes achievable over the range of operating frequencies. The amplitude-frequency curv...

The precise control of liquid flow rate in microchannels is crucial for lab-on-a-chip applications such as droplet production and encapsulation1, mixing2,3, and the sorting and manipulation of suspended particles4,5,6,7. The predominantly used method for flow control is a syringe pump that produces highly controlled steady flows dispensing either a fixed volume of liquid or a fixed volumetric flow rate, often limited to entirely unidirectional flow. Alternative strategies for producing unidirectional flow include using gravitational head8, capillary forces9, or electro-osmotic flow10. Programmable syringe pumps allow for a time-dependent bidirectional control of flow rates and dispensed volumes but are limited to response times greater than 1 s due to the mechanical inertia of the syringe pump.
Flow control at shorter time scales unlocks a plethora6,11,12,13,14,15 of otherwise inaccessible possibilities due to qualitative changes in flow physics. The most practical means of harnessing this varied flow physics is through acoustic waves or oscillatory flows with time periods ranging from 10-1- 10-9 s or 101&#160;-109 Hz. The higher end of this frequency range is accessed using bulk acoustic wave (BAW; 100 kHz-10 MHz) and surface acoustic wave (SAW; 10 MHz-1 GHz) devices. In a typical BAW device, the entire substrate and the fluid column are vibrated by applying a voltage signal across a bonded piezoelectric. This enables relatively high throughputs but also results in heating at higher amplitudes. In SAW devices, however, the solid-liquid interface is oscillated by applying voltage to a pair of interdigitated electrodes patterned on a piezoelectric substrate. Due to the very short wavelengths (1 &#181;m-100 &#181;m) particles as small as 300 nm can be precisely manipulated by the pressure wave generated in SAW devices. Despite the ability to manipulate small particles, SAW methods are limited to local particle manipulation since the wave rapidly attenuates with distance from the source.
At the 1-100 kHz frequency range, oscillatory flows are usually generated using piezo-elements that are bonded to a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannel above a designed cavity16,17. The PDMS membrane above the patterned cavity behaves like a vibrating membrane or drum that pressurizes the fluid within the channel. At this frequency range, the wavelength is larger than the channel size, but the oscillation velocity amplitudes are small. The most useful phenomenon in this frequency regime is the generation of acoustic/viscous streaming flows, which are rectified steady flows caused due to non-linearity inherent in the flow of liquids with inertia18. The steady streaming flows typically manifest as high-speed counter-rotating vortices in the vicinity of obstacles, sharp corners, or micro-bubbles. These vortices are useful for mixing19,20 and separating 10 &#181;m sized particles from the flow stream21.
For frequencies in the range of 10-1000 Hz, both the velocity of the oscillatory component and its associated steady viscous streaming are considerable in magnitude and useful. Strong oscillatory flows in this frequency range can be used for inertial focusing22, facilitate droplet generation23, and can generate flow conditions (Womersley numbers) that mimic blood flow for in vitro studies. On the other hand, streaming flows are useful for mixing, particle trapping, and manipulation. Oscillatory flow in this range of frequencies can also be accomplished using a piezo-element bonded to the device as described above23. A significant hurdle to implementing oscillatory flows through a bonded piezo element is that it requires features to be designed beforehand. Furthermore, the bonded speaker elements are not detachable, and a new element must be bonded to each device24. However, such devices present the advantage of being compact. An alternative method is using an electromechanical relay valve20. These valves require pneumatic pressure sources and custom control software for operation and therefore increase the technical barrier to testing and implementation. Nevertheless, such devices enable the application of set pressure amplitude and frequency.
In this article, the construction, operation, and characterization of a user-friendly method to generate oscillatory flows in the frequency range of 10-1000 Hz in microchannels is described. The method offers numerous advantages such as cost-effective assembly, ease of operation, and ready to interface with standard microfluidic channels and accessories such as syringe pumps and tubing. Additionally, compared to previous similar approaches25, the method offers the user selective and independent control of oscillation frequencies and amplitudes, including the modulation between sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal waveforms. These features allow users to easily deploy oscillatory flows and, therefore, facilitate widespread adoption into a broad range of currently existing microfluidic technologies and applications in the fields of biology and chemistry.

<table border="1" fo:keep-together.within-page="1" fo:keep-with-next.within-page="always">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Oscillatory Driver Assembly</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Alligator-to-pin wire</td>
			<td>Adafruit</td>
			<td>3255</td>
			<td>Small alligator clip to male jumper wire (12)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Aux cable</td>
			<td>Adafruit</td>
			<td>2698</td>
			<td>3.5 mm Male/Male stereo cable 1 m</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Controller chip</td>
			<td>Damgoo</td>
			<td>TPA3116</td>
			<td>50w+50w 2 channel audio amplifier (bluetooth and AUX)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>DC adapter</td>
			<td>Adafruit</td>
			<td>798</td>
			<td>12 V DC 1A regulated switching power adapter</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Micro-pipette tip</td>
			<td>VWR Signature</td>
			<td>37001-532</td>
			<td>200 ul micropipette tip</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Silicone sealant</td>
			<td>Loctite</td>
			<td>908570</td>
			<td>Clear silicone waterproof sealant (80 ml)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Speaker</td>
			<td>Drok</td>
			<td>6843996</td>
			<td>4.5 inch 4 Ohm 40 W speaker</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Speaker mount</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>3D printed from &#39;speakermount.stl&#39; in supplementary files</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Speaker-to-tube adapter</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>3D printed from &#39;speaketubeadapter.stl&#39; in supplementary files</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microchannel Manufacture</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Biopsy punch</td>
			<td>Miltex</td>
			<td>15110</td>
			<td>Biopsy punch with plunger (1 - 4 mm)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Degasser</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable cup</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Disposable spoon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Glass Slides</td>
			<td>VWR Signature</td>
			<td>16004-430</td>
			<td>3&#34; x 1&#34; pre clean 1 mm thick</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Mold</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Si - SU-8 or 3D printed</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Oven</td>
			<td>Fischer Scientific</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Isotemp</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>PDMS resin and cross-linker</td>
			<td>Dow Chemical</td>
			<td>4019862</td>
			<td>Sylgard 184 PDMS resin and crosslinker (500 g)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Polyethylene tubing</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson Intramedic</td>
			<td>427440</td>
			<td>Polyethylene tubing (PE 60 - PE 200)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Razor blades</td>
			<td>VWR</td>
			<td>55411-050</td>
			<td>Single edge industrial razor blades</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>RF plasma generator</td>
			<td>Electro-Technic Products</td>
			<td>BD - 20</td>
			<td>High frequency generator</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Silicone Mold Release</td>
			<td>CRC</td>
			<td>03301</td>
			<td>Food Grade Silicon Mold release (16 oz)</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Observation and Characterization</td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Camera</td>
			<td>Edgertronic</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>SC2+</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Lens</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Plan Fluor 10x</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Microscope</td>
			<td>Nikon</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Ti Eclipse manual stage</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Needles</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson</td>
			<td>305175</td>
			<td>&#160;PrecisionGlide 20G</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe</td>
			<td>Becton Dickinson</td>
			<td>1180100555</td>
			<td>Monoject 1 ml</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Syringe pump</td>
			<td>Harvard Apparatus</td>
			<td></td>
			<td>Dual syringe programmable syringe pump</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Tracer Particles</td>
			<td>Spherotech</td>
			<td>PP-10-10</td>
			<td>Polystyrene tracer particles 1 um</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

assembly and characterization of an external driver for the generation of sub-kilohertz oscillatory flow in microchannels

Microfluidic technology has become a standard tool in chemical and biological laboratories for both analysis and synthesis. The injection of liquid samples, such as chemical reagents and cell cultures, is predominantly accomplished through steady flows that are typically driven by syringe pumps, gravity, or capillary forces. The use of complementary oscillatory flows is seldom considered in applications despite its numerous advantages as recently demonstrated in the literature. The significant technical barrier to the implementation of oscillatory flows in microchannels is likely responsible for the lack of its widespread adoption. Advanced commercial syringe pumps that can produce oscillatory flow, are often more expensive and only work for frequencies less than 1 Hz. Here, the assembly and operation of a low-cost, plug-and-play type speaker-based apparatus that generates oscillatory flow in microchannels is demonstrated. High-fidelity harmonic oscillatory flows with frequencies ranging from 10-1000 Hz can be achieved along with independent amplitude control. Amplitudes ranging from 10-600 &#181;m can be achieved throughout the entire range of operation, including amplitudes &#62; 1 mm at the resonant frequency, in a typical microchannel. Although the oscillation frequency is determined by the speaker, we illustrate that the oscillation amplitude is sensitive to fluid properties and channel geometry. Specifically, the oscillation amplitude decreases with increasing channel circuit length and liquid viscosity, and in contrast, the amplitude increases with increasing speaker tube thickness and length. Additionally, the apparatus requires no prior features to be designed on the microchannel and is easily detachable. It can be used simultaneously with a steady flow created by a syringe pump to generate pulsatile flows.

To illustrate the capability and performance of the above setup, representative results of oscillatory flow in a simple linear microchannel with a square cross-section are presented. The width and height of the channel are 110 &#181;m and its length is 5 cm. First, we describe the motion of spherical polystyrene tracer particles and how these can be used to check the fidelity of the oscillatory signal as well as the range of oscillation amplitudes achievable. We then discuss the effect of specific fluid properties or mic...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Assembly and Characterization of an External Driver for the Generation of Sub-Kilohertz Oscillatory Flow in Microchannels at JoVE.com

Assembly and Characterization of an External Driver for the Generation of Sub-Kilohertz Oscillatory Flow in Microchannels

The protocol demonstrates a convenient method to produce harmonic oscillatory flow from 10-1000 Hz in microchannels. This is performed by interfacing a computer-controlled speaker diaphragm to the microchannel in a modular manner.

Microfluidic technology has become a standard tool in chemical and biological laboratories for both analysis and synthesis. The injection of liquid ...

Our technique brings oscillatory flows to biologists and chemists using microfluidics. This device is quick to assemble, easy-to-use, and is a plug and play method for producing high fidelity oscillatory flows. Demonstrating the procedure will be Giridar Vishwanathan, a PhD student from my laboratory.To begin, clamp the alligator clip ends of a pair of alligator to pin wires to the terminals of a 15 watt speaker with an eight centimeter cone. Place the aux controller chip on an insulating component. Insert the pin ends into the screw sockets of the aux chip.Tighten with a screwdriver to ensure connectivity. Connect one end of an aux cable to the controller chip, and the other end to an aux port on a computer. Connect a 12 volt direct current adapter to the power supply.Power the controller chip on by connecting the coaxial end of the DC adapter to the power socket. Using an internet browser, navigate to an online tone generator website. Type in the desired frequency between 5 to 1200 Hertz in the online application and scroll the volume bar to the required amount.Click on the wave type generator symbol and select the desired wave form like sign, square, triangle, or sawtooth. The default setting is a sign wave form. Press Play to actuate the speaker.Tape the speaker and the controller chip onto the 3D printed speaker mound for positioning on the microscope stage. Place the 3D printed adapter concentrically on the speaker cone. Apply silicone sealant generously along the edges of the adapter and let cure for two hours.Cut a 200 microliter micropipette tip approximately two centimeters from its narrow end and dispose the wider half of the tip where the narrow conical end will serve as a wedge seal for reversible attachment. Connect the polyethylene tubing to the microchannel output by first threading through the micropipette tip, and then through the adapters coaxial end, and finally, out through the side. Firmly wedge the narrow end of the pipette tip into the adapters coaxial end to create a detachable tight seal.Add tracer particles into a vial of 22%weight by weight glycerol solution to produce a neutrally buoyant suspension with a volume fraction of 0.01%to 0.1%polystyrene in liquid at 20 degrees Celsius. Mix vigorously by shaking to produce a homogenous suspension. Load a one milliliter inlet syringe with one milliliter of sample.Mound and fasten the loaded syringe onto an automatic syringe pump. Insert the syringe needle into the inlet tubing of the device to create a water-tight seal. Ensure the outlet tube is rooted through the adapter assembly and into a reservoir.Turn on the syringe pump, using the touch screen select the syringe type as Becton-Dickinson 1 mL, then select Infuse. Then select the required flow rate of flow volume. Initiate the steady flow using the syringe pump.Wait until the outlet tube is filled with liquid up to the speaker. Select a required frequency amplitude and wave form in the tone generator application, and press Play to generate oscillatory flow inside the microchannel. Mount the device on the microscope.Set up the optical configuration by selecting an objective lens with a magnification between 10X and 40X, and adjusting the focal plane and positioning the stage. To obtain measurements in a well-defined focal plane, ensure that the depth of field of the objective lens is smaller than the channel depth by a factor of five or more. To observe the oscillatory flow, use a high speed camera with a frame rate of at least twice the oscillation frequency.For useful resolution of the wave form, measure at least 10 points per time period with 10 times greater frame rate than the oscillation frequency. Alternatively, to observe longtime effects of positive flows perform stroboscopic imaging by setting the observation to any perfect divisor of the oscillation frequency. For both direct and stroboscopic imaging, use a camera equipped with a global shutter to avoid the jello effect.In either case, keep the exposure time considerably smaller than the oscillation time period by a factor of 10 or more to prevent streaking. To measure the oscillation amplitude without a high speed camera, record at a frame rate maintained close to but not to the stroboscopic frame rate, which results in a highly slowed down oscillation from which the amplitude can be accurately measured, observe, and record the amplitude measurements. The tracked displacement of tracer particles at the channel mid plane showed a harmonic signal for the oscillation frequencies 100, 200, 400, and 800 Hertz.In a plot of oscillation amplitude versus frequency for all speaker volume settings, the characteristic curve had a resonant peak at around 180 Hertz beyond which the amplitude decreases with increasing frequency. The effect of different parameters on the oscillatory amplitude over the range of operational frequencies with respect to the reference case, showed that when the viscosity of the working liquid is increased, the amplitude decreases by a factor of nearly two. When the microfluidic tubing diameter for the same material is increased, the amplitude increases compared to the reference case by a factor between 1.5 to 3 depending on the frequency.When the tube length for the same material is increased the amplitude increases significantly near the resonant frequency. Particle displacement tracks for non-sinusoidal wave forms showed that very sharp changes in position associated with square and sawtooth wave forms are not possible in real systems. Nonetheless, the Fourier spectra were in good agreement with the ideal spectra, at least up to the third harmonic.It is important to confirm that the outlet tube is fully filled with liquid. This ensures that the amplitude is maximum and that it is constant with time. A camera with a global shutter must also be used.We have used this technique to precisely observe and measure how micron sized particles behave after they travel a very long distance inside a microchannel. This has allowed us to implement new microfluidic manipulation techniques.

Research

JoVE Journal

Engineering

The Generation of Higher-order Laguerre-Gauss Optical Beams for High-precision Interferometry

Thermal noise in high-reflectivity mirrors is a major impediment for several  types of high-precision interferometric experiments that aim to reach the  ...

Construction and Characterization of External Cavity Diode Lasers for Atomic Physics

Since their development in the late 1980s, cheap, reliable external cavity diode lasers (ECDLs) have replaced complex and expensive traditional dye and ...

Patterning via Optical Saturable Transitions - Fabrication and Characterization

This protocol describes the fabrication and characterization of nanostructures using a novel nanolithographic technique called Patterning via Optical ...

Electron Channeling Contrast Imaging for Rapid III-V Heteroepitaxial Characterization

Misfit dislocations in heteroepitaxial layers of GaP grown on Si(001) substrates are characterized through use of electron channeling contrast imaging ...

Characterization of Full Set Material Constants and Their Temperature Dependence for Piezoelectric Materials Using Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy

During the operation of high power electromechanical devices, a temperature rise is unavoidable due to mechanical and electrical losses, causing the ...

Characterization of Ultra-fine Grained and Nanocrystalline Materials Using Transmission Kikuchi Diffraction

One of the challenges in microstructure analysis nowadays resides in the reliable and accurate characterization of ultra-fine grained (UFG) and ...

A Novel Method for In Situ Electromechanical Characterization of Nanoscale Specimens

A Novel Method for In Situ Electromechanical Characterization of Nanoscale Specimens

Electrically assisted deformation (EAD) is increasingly being used to improve the formability of metals during processes such as sheet metal rolling and ...

Preparation of Liquid Crystal Networks for Macroscopic Oscillatory Motion Induced by Light

A strategy based on doped liquid crystalline networks is described to create mechanical self-sustained oscillations of plastic films under continuous ...

Generation of Size-controlled Poly (ethylene Glycol) Diacrylate Droplets via Semi-3-Dimensional Flow Focusing Microfluidic Devices

Generation of Size-controlled Poly ethylene Glycol Diacrylate Droplets via Semi-3-Dimensional Flow Focusing Microfluidic Devices

Uniform and size-controllable poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) droplets could be produced via the flow focusing process in a microfluidic device. ...

Studying Large Amplitude Oscillatory Shear Response of Soft Materials

We investigate the sequence of physical processes exhibited during large amplitude oscillatory shearing (LAOS) of polyethylene oxide (PEO) in dimethyl ...