scholarly journals Numerical Simulation and Experimental Validation of Liquid Metal Droplet Formation in a Co-Flowing Capillary Microfluidic Device

Micromachines ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingming Hu ◽  
Tianyi Jiang ◽  
Hongyuan Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Model ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Microfluidic Device ◽  
Droplet Diameter ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Droplet Formation ◽  
Bulk Liquid ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet ◽  
Phase Fluid

A two-phase flow axisymmetric numerical model was proposed to understand liquid metal droplet formation in a co-flowing capillary microfluidics device based on a phase field model. The droplet detachment processes were observed in the experiment and are in good agreement with the simulation method. The effects of the viscosities and flowrates of the continuous phase fluid, interfacial tension as well as the wetting property of the metallic needle against the bulk liquid metal on the droplet formation and production rate were numerically investigated. It was found that the droplet diameter decreased with the increment of the viscosities and flowrates of the outer phase carrier fluid. The dispersed phase fluid with high interfacial tension tended to prolong the time for equilibrium between the viscous drag force and interfacial tension on the liquid–liquid fluid surface, delaying the droplet to be pinched off from the capillary orifice and causing large droplet diameter. Finally, the wetting performance of the metallic needle against the liquid metal was explored. The result indicate that the droplet diameter became less dependent on the contact angle while the size distribution of the liquid metal droplet was affected by their wetting performance. A more hydrophilic wetting performance were expected to prepare liquid metal droplet with more monodispersity. The numerical model and simulation results provide the feasibility of predicting the droplet formation with a high surface tension in a glass capillary microfluidic device.

scholarly journals A Study of Dielectrophoresis-Based Liquid Metal Droplet Control Microfluidic Device

Micromachines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 340
Author(s):  
Lu Tian ◽  
Zi Ye ◽  
Lin Gui
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Electric Field ◽  
Microfluidic Device ◽  
Bubble Formation ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Uniform Electric Field ◽  
Chip Design ◽  
Pdms Film ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet ◽  
Droplet Control

This study presents a dielectrophoresis-based liquid metal (LM) droplet control microfluidic device. Six square liquid metal electrodes are fabricated beneath an LM droplet manipulation pool. By applying different voltages on the different electrodes, a non-uniform electric field is formed around the LM droplet, and charges are induced on the surface of the droplet accordingly, so that the droplet could be driven inside the electric field. With a voltage of ±1000 V applied on the electrodes, the LM droplets are driven with a velocity of 0.5 mm/s for the 2.0 mm diameter ones and 1.0 mm/s for the 1.0 mm diameter ones. The whole chip is made of PDMS, and microchannels are fabricated by laser ablation. In this device, the electrodes are not in direct contact with the working droplets; a thin PDMS film stays between the electrodes and the driven droplets, preventing Joule heat or bubble formation during the experiments. To enhance the flexibility of the chip design, a gallium-based alloy with melting point of 10.6 °C is used as electrode material in this device. This dielectrophoresis (DEP) device was able to successfully drive liquid metal droplets and is expected to be a flexible approach for liquid metal droplet control.

Operation performance analysis of a liquid metal droplet radiator for space nuclear reactor

2021 ◽  
Vol 158 ◽  
pp. 108301
Author(s):  
Linyi Yang ◽  
Chenglong Wang ◽  
Hao Qin ◽  
Dalin Zhang ◽  
Wenxi Tian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Performance Analysis ◽  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Nuclear Reactor ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Operation Performance ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet

scholarly journals Expansion and Fragmentation of a Liquid-Metal Droplet by a Short Laser Pulse

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Yu. Grigoryev ◽  
B. V. Lakatosh ◽  
M. S. Krivokorytov ◽  
V. V. Zhakhovsky ◽  
S. A. Dyachkov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Short Laser Pulse ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet

Pseudo-wetting Behaviour of Nanostructures Induced by STM

2007 ◽  
Vol 1059 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Campbell ◽  
George Walmsley
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Data Storage ◽  
Contact Process ◽  
Temporal Stability ◽  
Surface Displacement ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
Strong Interactions ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet ◽  
Dynamics Simulations

ABSTRACTThe behavior of nano-scale liquid metal droplets has recently received renewed research interest following the exciting new observations of Sutter and Sutter [1]. In the present paper, we consider whether similar conditions can be generated for observing liquid metal droplet phenomena in a scanning probe architecture. Strong interactions between tip and sample in tunnelling microscopies can be deliberately invoked by lowering the tunnel gap impedance. Indeed, nanoscale features may be created this may, often exhibiting temporal stability suggestive of applications for ultra high density data storage. Alternatively, unstable features may form, and their decay characteristics can be related to local dynamics and kinetics. In real liquids, one such evolutionary mode involves the phenomenon of wetting, and the formation of thin precursor films. Here, it is demonstrated that a similar process may occur for the decay of a nanoscale mound of [presumed] Au atoms onto an Au(111) substrate. The mound is thought to be created by a ‘jump-to-contact’ process when the gap impedance, Zg, is deliberately lowered by reducing the tip-surface displacement. Resultant features have a diameter of circa 30nm, and heights of up to l0nm. They appear stable when scanned repeatedly at gap impedances higher than 10MΩ, however if Zg is lowered below 500kΩ, then morphology can alter dynamically, and a thin layer of material, only two atomic widths thick, is seen to emanate from the periphery. Relaxation in the nanostructure is observed. Interestingly, the observations agree qualitatively with wetting phenomena observed on microscale droplets of involatile liquids on solid surfaces. Favourable comparisons may also be drawn in the light of recent results using molecular-dynamics simulations and Monte-Carlo methods.

Acoustic wave-driven oxidized liquid metal-based energy harvester

2018 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 20902 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinpyo Jeon ◽  
Sang Kug Chung ◽  
Jeong-Bong Lee ◽  
Seok Joo Doo ◽  
Daeyoung Kim
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Acoustic Wave ◽  
Double Layer ◽  
Electrical Double Layer ◽  
Energy Harvester ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Acoustic Energy ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Output Current ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet

We report an oxidized liquid metal droplet-based energy harvester that converts acoustic energy into electrical energy by modulating an electrical double layer that originates from the deformation of the oxidized liquid metal droplet. Gallium-based liquid metal alloy has been developed for various applications owing to the outstanding material properties, such as its high electrical conductivity (metallic property) and unlimited deformability (liquid property). In this study, we demonstrated energy harvesting using an electrical double layer between the acoustic wave-modulated liquid metal droplet and two electrodes. The proposed energy harvester consisted of top and bottom electrodes covered with the dielectric layer and a Gallium-based liquid metal droplet placed between the electrodes. When we applied an external bias voltage and acoustic wave to the proposed device, the contact area between the liquid metal droplet and the electrodes changed, leading to the variation of the capacitance in the electrical double layer and the generation of electrical output current. Using the proposed energy harvester, the maximum output current of 41.2 nA was generated with an applied acoustic wave of 30 Hz. In addition, we studied the relationships between the maximum output current and a variety of factors, such as the size of the liquid metal droplet, the thickness of the hydrophobic layer, and the distance between the top and bottom electrode plates.

scholarly journals A Wheeled Robot Driven by a Liquid-Metal Droplet

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (51) ◽  
pp. 1805039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Wu ◽  
Shi-Yang Tang ◽  
Tao Fang ◽  
Weihua Li ◽  
Xiangpeng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Metal ◽  
Metal Droplet ◽  
Liquid Metal Droplet ◽  
Wheeled Robot
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