Related papers: Regulating Aggregation of Colloidal Particles in a…
The rectification of electro-osmotic flows is important in micro/nano fluidics applications such as micro-pumps and energy conversion devices. Here, we propose a simple electro-osmotic diode in which colloidal particles are contained…
We study colloidal particles in a nematic-liquid-crystal-filled microfluidic channel and show how elastic interactions between the particle and the channel wall lead to different particle dynamics compared with conventional microfluidics.…
Accumulation of particles while flowing past constrictions is a ubiquitous phenomenon observed in diverse systems. Some of the common examples are jamming of salt crystals near the orifice of salt shakers, clogging of filter systems,…
We assemble charged colloidal spheres at deliberately chosen locations on a charged unstructured glass substrate utilizing ion exchange based electro-osmotic micro-pumps. Using microscopy, a simple scaling theory and Brownian Dynamics…
Electroosmotic pumping through uncharged hydrogels can be achieved by embedding the polymer network with charged colloidal inclusions. Matos and co-workers (2006) recently used the concept to enhance the diffusion-limited flux of uncharged…
The directed self-assembly of colloidal nanoparticles (NPs) using external fields guides the formation of sophisticated hierarchical materials but becomes less effective with decreasing particle size. As an alternative, electron-beam-driven…
We demonstrate a novel method to assemble and transport swarms of colloidal particles by combining liquid crystals enabled electrophoresis and photo-sensitive surface patterning. Colloidal particles are propelled in a nematic liquid crystal…
The assembly and stabilization of a finite number of nanocrystals in contact in water could maximize the optical absorption per unit of material. Some local plasmonic properties exploited in applications, such as photothermia and optical…
Microscopic particles flowing through narrow channels may accumulate near bifurcation points provoking flow reduction, clogging and ultimately chip breakage. Here we show that the full flow behavior of colloidal particles through a…
We study here the curious particle dynamics resulting from electro-osmotic flow around a microchannel junction corner whose dielectric walls are weakly polarizable. The hydrodynamic velocity field is obtained via superposition of a linear…
Nonlinear electrokinetic phenomena, where electrically driven fluid flows depend nonlinearly on the applied voltage, are commonly encountered in aqueous suspensions of colloidal particles. A prime example is the induced-charge…
In non-dilute colloidal suspensions, gradients in particle volume fraction result in gradients in electrical conductivity and permittivity. An externally applied electric field couples with gradients in electrical conductivity and…
The effect of curvature and how it induces and enhances the transport of colloidal particles driven through narrow channels represent an unexplored research avenue. Here we combine experiments and simulations to investigate the dynamics of…
During the transport of colloidal suspensions in microchannels, the deposition of particles can lead to the formation of clogs, typically at constrictions. Once a clog is formed in a microchannel, advected particles form an aggregate…
Possible mechanisms of overlimiting current in unsupported electrolytes, exceeding diffusion limitation, have been intensely studied for their fundamental significance and applications to desalination, separations, sensing, and energy…
We reveal an unreported physical mechanism that enables the pre-concentration, sorting and characterization of charged polystyrene nanobeads and liposomes dispersed in a continuous flow within a straight micron-sized channel. Initially, a…
We have developed a poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic chip to study the directional drying of a colloidal dispersion confined in a channel. Our measurements on a dispersion of silica nanoparticles once again revealed the…
The controlled transport of colloids in dead-end structures is a key capability that can enable a wide range of applications, such as bio-chemical analysis, drug delivery and underground oil recovery. This letter presents a new trapping…
Light-activated colloidal assembly and swarming can act as model systems to explore non-equilibrium state of matter. In this context, creating new experimental platforms to facilitate and control two-dimensional assembly of colloidal…
The flow-driven transport of interacting micron-sized particles occurs in many soft matter systems spanning from the translocation of proteins to moving emulsions in microfluidic devices. Here we combine experiments and theory to…