Study of AC Electrothermal Effect in Microfluidics

Abstract

Through simulations and experiments, we analyzed the effects of electrode configuration and applied voltage in heating, mixing, and particle enrichment by ac electrothermal effects. We focused on the spacing between groups of electrodes and between finger electrodes within groups. Our findings revealed that having tight groups of electrodes led to more even heating and better mixing. We also highlighted the role of the distance between groups in enhancing particle enrichment and contributed valuable insights for optimizing the design of microfluidic systems.