Date on Master's Thesis/Doctoral Dissertation
5-2024
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Department
Mechanical Engineering
Degree Program
Mechanical Engineering, MS
Committee Chair
Williams, Stuart
Committee Co-Chair (if applicable)
Brehob, Ellen
Committee Member
Brehob, Ellen
Committee Member
Cohn, Robert
Author's Keywords
dielectrophoresis; electrokinetics; electrohydrodynamics; nanofibers; microparticles
Abstract
The frequency dependence of electrokinetic particle trapping using large-area (>mm2) conductive carbon nanofiber (CNF) mat electrodes is investigated. The fibers provide nanoscale geometric features for the generation of high electric field gradients, which is necessary for particle trapping via dielectrophoresis (DEP). A device was fabricated with an array of microfluidic wells for repeated experiments; each well included a CNF mat electrode opposing an aluminum electrode. Fluorescent microspheres (1 µm) were trapped at various electric field frequencies between 30 kHz – 1 MHz. Digital images of each well were analyzed to quantify particle trapping. DEP trapping by the CNF mats was greater at all tested frequencies than that of the control of no applied field, and the greatest trapping was observed at a frequency of 600 kHz, where electrothermal (ET) flow is more significantly weakened than DEP. This result indicates the contribution to particle trapping by ET flow is not exclusively positive.
Recommended Citation
West, Jacob Hunter, "Electrokinetic particle trapping performance of conductive nanofiber mats in microfluidic wells." (2024). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4311.
https://doi.org/10.18297/etd/4311