Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Microfluidics analysis of nanoparticle mixing in a microchannel system

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Microfluidics and Nanofluidics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The microfluidics of controlled nanodrug delivery to living cells in a representative, partially heated microchannel was analyzed, using a validated computer model. The objective was to achieve uniform nanoparticle exit concentrations at a minimum microchannel length with the aid of simple static mixers, e.g., a multi-baffle-slit or perforated injection micro-mixer. A variable wall heat flux, which influences the local nanofluid properties and carrier-fluid velocities, was added to ensure that mixture delivery to the living cells occurred at the required (body) temperature of 37°C. The results show that both the baffle-slit micro-mixer and the perforated injection micro-mixer aid in decreasing the microchannel length while achieving uniform nanoparticle exit concentrations. The injection micro-mixer not only decreases best the system’s dimension, but also reduces the system power requirement. The baffle-slit micro-mixer also decreases the microchannel length; however, it may add to the power requirement. The imposed wall heat flux aids in enhanced nanoparticle and base-fluid mixing as well.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Brotherton CM, Sun AC, Davis RH (2008) Computational modeling and comparison of three co-laminar microfluidic mixing techniques. Microfluid Nanofluid 5:43–53

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang C-C, Yang R-J (2007) Electrokinetic mixing in microfluidic systems. Microfluid Nanofluid 3:501–525

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Chung CK, Shih TR (2008) Effect of geometry on fluid mixing of rhombic micromixers. Microfluid Nanofluid 4:419–425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Floyd-Smith TM, Golden JP, Howell PB, Ligler FS (2006) Characterization of passive microfluidic mixers using soft lithography. Microfluid Nanofluid 2:180–183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardt S, Drese KS, Hessel V, Schonfeld F (2005) Passive micromixers for applications in the microreator and μTAS fields. Microfluid Nanofluid 1:108–118

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang TG, Singh MK, Kwon TH, Anderson PD (2008) Chaotic mixing using periodic and aperiodic sequences of mixing protocols in a micromixer. Microfluid Nanofluid 4:589–599

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim DS (2004) A barrier embedded chaotic micromixer. J Micromech Microeng 14:798–805

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kleinstreuer C (2006) Biofluid Dynamics—principles and selected applications. Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinstreuer C, Li J (2008a) Microscale Cooling Devices. In: Li D (ed) Encyclopedia of micro and nanofluidics. Springer, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinstreuer C, Li J (2008b) Discussion: effects of various parameters on nanofluid thermal conductivity. ASME J Heat Transfer 130:025501-1-3

    Google Scholar 

  • Kleinstreuer C, Li J, Koo J (2008) Microfluidics of nanodrug delivery. Int J Heat Mass Transf (in press)

  • Koo J, Kleinstreuer C (2003) Liquid flow in microchannels: experimental observations and computational analysis of microfluidics effect. J Micromech Microeng 13:568–579

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Labhasetwar V, Leslie-Pelecky DL (2007) Biomedical applications of nanotechnology. Wiley-Interscience, Hoboken, NJ

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Li J (2009) Computational analysis of nanofluid flow in microchannels with applications to micro-heat sinks and bio-MEMS. PhD dissertation, MAE Department, NCSU, Raleigh

  • Maxwell JC (1904) A treatise on electricity and magnetism, 2nd edn. Oxford University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Munson MS, Yager P (2004) Simple quantitative optical method for monitoring the extent of mixing applied to a novel microfluidic mixer. Analytica Chimical Acta 507:63–71

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen N-T (2008) Micromixers: fundamentals, design and fabrication. William Andrew, Norwich

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen N-T, Wu Z (2005) Micromixers—a review. J Micromech Microeng 15:R1–R16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saliterman SS (2006) Fundamentals of BioMEMS and medical microdevices. Wiley-interscience, SPIE Press, Bellingham, Washington, US

    Google Scholar 

  • Stroock AD et al (2002) Chaotic mixer for microchannels. Science 295:647–651

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur RK, Vial CH, Nigam KDP, Nauman EB, Djelveh G (2003) Static mixers in the process industries—a review. Chem Eng Res Des 81:787–826

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xuan Y, Roetzel W (2000) Conceptions for heat transfer correlation of nanofluids. Int J Heat Mass Transf 43:3701–3707

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The generous endowment of the McDonald-Kleinstreuer Fellowship provided by Dr. J.P. Archie, Jr. and his wife Sarah, presently supporting Jie Li, as well as the use of ANSYS-CFX11 (Ansys, Inc., Canonsburg, PA) are gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Jie Li & Clement Kleinstreuer

  2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, NC State University, Raleigh, NC, 27695, USA

    Clement Kleinstreuer

Authors
  1. Jie Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Clement Kleinstreuer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Clement Kleinstreuer.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Li, J., Kleinstreuer, C. Microfluidics analysis of nanoparticle mixing in a microchannel system. Microfluid Nanofluid 6, 661–668 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-008-0341-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10404-008-0341-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation