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AC Electroosmosis: Basics and Lab-on-a-Chip Applications

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Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology

Synonyms

Induced charge electroosmosis

Definition

Microelectrode structures subjected to AC voltages can generate flow of aqueous solutions by the action of the AC field on the charges induced by itself at the electrode-electrolyte interface, i.e., induced charges in the electrical double layer (EDL). The phenomenon is called AC electroosmosis (ACEO) in analogy with the “classical” electroosmosis, where fluid flow is generated by the action of an applied electric field on the mobile charge of a given solid-liquid interface [1]. The main difference is that the applied field in ACEO is responsible for both inducing the charge and pulling on it. The term induced-charge electrokinetics (ICEK) has been proposed to refer to all phenomena where the electric field acts on the electrical double layer induced by itself [2].

Basic Mechanism

Possibly, the simplest system for the study of AC electroosmosis consists of a couple of coplanar electrodes covered by an aqueous electrolyte. The electrodes...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Electrónica y Electromagnetismo, Universidad de Sevilla, Avenida Reina Mercedes s/n, 41012, Sevilla, Spain

    Pablo García-Sánchez & Antonio Ramos

Authors
  1. Pablo García-Sánchez
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  2. Antonio Ramos
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pablo García-Sánchez .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Biomimetics (NLB²), Ohio State University Nanoprobe Lab. for Bio- & Nanotechnology, Columbus, Ohio, USA

    Bharat Bhushan

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García-Sánchez, P., Ramos, A. (2015). AC Electroosmosis: Basics and Lab-on-a-Chip Applications. In: Bhushan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Nanotechnology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6178-0_125-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6178-0_125-2

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  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6178-0

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