Hideyuki Sugioka

Nonlinear Thermokinetic Phenomena Due to the Seebeck Effect

We propose a novel mechanism to produce nonlinear thermokinetic vortex flows around a circular cylinder with ideally high thermal conductivity in an electrolyte. That is, the nonlinear thermokinetic slip velocity, which is proportional to the square of the temperature gradient [∇(T)0(2)], is derived based on the electrolyte Seebeck effect, heat conduction equation, and Helmholtz–Smoluchowski formula. Different from conventional linear thermokinetic theory, our theory predicts that the inversion of the temperature gradient does not change the direction of the thermokinetic flows and thus a Janus particle using this phenomenon can move to the both hotter and colder regions in a temperature gradient field by changing the direction of its dielectric end. Our findings bridge the gap between the electro- and thermo-kinetic phenomena and provide an integrated physical viewpoint for the interface science.

Direct simulation of phase delay effects on induced-charge electro-osmosis under large ac electric fields.

The standard theory of induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) often overpredicts experimental values of ICEO velocities. Using a nonsteady direct multiphysics simulation technique based on the coupled Poisson-Nernst-Planck and Stokes equations for an electrolyte around a conductive cylinder subject to an ac electric field, we find that a phase delay effect concerning an ion response provides a fundamental mechanism for electrokinetic suppression. A surprising aspect of our findings is that the phase delay effect occurs even at much lower frequencies (e.g., 50 Hz) than the generally believed charging frequency of an electric double layer (typically, 1 kHz) and it can decrease the electrokinetic velocities in one to several orders. In addition, we find that the phase delay effect may also cause a change in the electrokinetic flow directions (i.e., flow reversal) depending on the geometrical conditions. We believe that our findings move toward a more complete understanding of complex experimental nonlinear electrokinetic phenomena.

Strategies on improving the micro-fluidic devices using the nonlinear electro- and thermo-kinetic phenomena

Surface science is key to innovations on microfluidics, smart materials, and future non-equilibrium systems. However, challenging issues still exist in this field. In this article, from the viewpoint of the fundamental design, we will briefly review our strategies on improving the micro-fluidic devices using the nonlinear electro- and thermo-kinetic phenomena. In particular, we will review the microfluidic applications using ICEO, the correction based on the ion-conserving Poisson-Boltzmann theory, the direct simulation on ICEO, and the new horizon such as nonlinear thermo-kinetic phenomena and the artificial cilia.

Elastic Beating Pump Using Induced-Charge Electro-osmosis

Pumping a viscous liquid in a confined space is essential in microfluidic systems because the pressure-driven flow rate through small channels decreases with the third or fourth power of the channel size. Hence, inspired by a cilium’s pumping ability in a confined space, we propose an elastic beating pump using a hydrodynamic force due to induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) and numerically examine the pumping performance. By the multiphysics coupled simulation technique based on the boundary element method along with the thin double-layer approximation, we find that by selecting the optimum rigidity of the elastic beam, the ICEO elastic beating pump functions effectively at high frequencies with low applied voltages and shows a large average flow velocity with a remarkably large peak velocity that may be useful to flow a liquid with unexpectedly high viscosity. Furthermore, we propose a simple model that explains the characteristics of the time response behavior of the ICEO elastic beating pump tosome e...

Suppression of a Brownian noise in a hole-type sensor due to induced-charge electro-osmosis

Noise reduction is essential for a single molecular sensor. Thus, we propose a novel noise reduction mechanism using a hydrodynamic force due to induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) in a hole-type sensor and numerically examine the performance. By the boundary element method that considers both a Brownian motion and an ICEO flow of a polarizable particle, we find that the Brownian noise in a current signal is suppressed significantly in a converging channel because of the ICEO flow around the particle in the presence of an electric field. Further, we propose a simple model that explains a numerically obtained threshold voltage of the suppression of the Brownian noise due to ICEO. We believe that our findings contribute greatly to developments of a single molecular sensor.

Experimental Study of a Large Vortex Flow Across a Channel through Induced-Charge Electroosmosis

The generation of a large vortex flow is intrinsically important to ensure mixing in the entire area of a microfluidic channel for flows with a low Reynolds number because a small vortex flow only produces local mixing. In this study, by using gold posts arranged in a zigzag manner between electrodes, we experimentally demonstrate that a large vortex flow across a channel can be generated through induced-charge electroosmosis (ICEO). That is, by particle image velocimetry, we obtained experimental flow fields and compared them with the theoretical results obtained by the coupled calculation method. The results were in qualitative agreement, although the directions of the vortex flows changed with the ranges of the applied voltages and frequencies.

High-speed broadband elastic actuator in water using induced-charge electro-osmosis with a skew structure

An artificial cilium using ac electro-osmosis (ACEO) is attractive because of its large potentiality for innovative microfluidic applications. However, the ACEO cilium has not been probed experimentally and has a shortcoming that the working frequency range is very narrow. Thus, we here propose an ACEO elastic actuator having a skew structure that broadens a working frequency range and experimentally demonstrate that the elastic actuator in water can be driven with a high-speed (∼10 Hz) and a wide frequency range (∼0.1 to ∼10 kHz). Moreover, we propose a simple self-consistent model that explains the broadband characteristic due to the skew structure with other characteristics. By comparing the theoretical results with the experimental results, we find that they agree fairly well. We believe that our ACEO elastic actuator will play an important role in microfluidics in the future.

Microcolumn Formation due to Induced-Charge Electroosmosis in a Floating Mode

Self-organization of particles is important since it may provide new functional materials. Previously, by using two-dimensional multiphysics simulations, we theoretically showed microcolumn formation due to induced-charge electroosmosis (ICEO). In this study, we experimentally demonstrate that gold leaves on a water surface move slowly and dynamically form a microcolumn due to a hydrodynamic interaction under an ac electric field. Further, by numerically analyzing video data, we show the time evolutions of the maximum cluster length and the maximum cluster area. In addition, by cluster analysis, we show the dependences of the average velocity on the applied voltage and frequency to clarify the phenomena. We believe that our findings make a new stage in the development of new functional materials on a water surface.

Rectified motion in an asymmetrically structured channel due to induced-charge electrokinetic and thermo-kinetic phenomena

It would be advantageous to move fluid by the gradient of random thermal noises that are omnipresent in the natural world. To achieve this motion, we propose a rectifier that uses a thermal noise along with induced-charge electroosmosis and electrophoresis (ICEO and ICEP) around a metal post cylinder in an asymmetrically structured channel and numerically examine its rectification performance. By the boundary element method combined with the thin double layer approximation, we find that rectified motion occurs in the asymmetrically structured channel due to ICEO and ICEP. Further, by thermodynamical and equivalent circuit methods, we discuss a thermal voltage that drives a rectifier consisting of a fluidic channel of an electrolyte and an impedance as a noise source. Our calculations show that fluid can be moved in the asymmetrically structured channel by the fluctuation of electric fields due to a thermal noise only when there is a temperature difference. In addition, our simple noise argument provides a...

Electrical Circuit Modeling Considering a Transient Space Charge for Nonsteady Poisson–Nernst–Planck Equations

Transient space charge phenomena at high step voltages are interesting since they play a central role in many exotic nonequilibrium phenomena of ion dynamics in an electrolyte. However, the fundamental equations [i.e., the nonsteady Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) equations] have not been solved analytically at high applied voltages because of their large nonlinearity. In this study, on the basis of the steady PNP solution, we propose an electrical circuit model that considers transient space charge effects and find that the dc and ac responses of the total charge of the electrical double layer are in fairly good agreement with the numerical results even at large applied voltages. Furthermore, on the basis of this model, we find approximate analytical solutions for the nonsteady PNP equations that are in good agreement with the numerical solutions of the concentration, charge density, and potential distribution at high applied voltages at each time in a surface region.