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Trends in computational simulations of electrochemical processes under hydrodynamic flow in microchannels

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Abstract

Computational modeling and theoretical simulations have recently become important tools for the development, characterization, and validation of microfluidic devices. The recent proliferation of commercial user-friendly software has allowed researchers in the microfluidics community, who might not be familiar with computer programming or fluid mechanics, to acquire important information on microsystems used for sensors, velocimetry, detection for microchannel separations, and microfluidic fuel cells. We discuss the most popular computational technique for modeling these systems—the finite element method—and how it can be applied to model electrochemical processes coupled with hydrodynamic flow in microchannels. Furthermore, some of the limitations and challenges of these computational models are also discussed.

 

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the National Institutes of Health (GM072432) and the Swedish National Science Foundation (VR). AGE is supported by a Marie Curie Chair from the European Union 6th Framework.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA

    Michael F. Santillo, Andrew G. Ewing & Michael L. Heien

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Gothenburg, 41296, Gothenburg, Sweden

    Andrew G. Ewing

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  1. Michael F. Santillo
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Correspondence to Michael L. Heien.

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Santillo, M.F., Ewing, A.G. & Heien, M.L. Trends in computational simulations of electrochemical processes under hydrodynamic flow in microchannels. Anal Bioanal Chem 399, 183–190 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-010-4070-4

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