A Novel Electrolysis-Bubble-Actuated Micropump via Roughness Gradient Design of the Hydrophobic Lateral Breather

A novel electrolysis-bubble-actuated micropump based on the roughness gradient design on the hydrophobic surface of the lateral breather is reported in this paper. The micropump is implemented by taking advantage of the electrolysis actuation, the surface tension effect and the periodic electrolysis-bubble generation. This proposed micropump design not only achieves a net pumping flow but also resolves the advantages existing in the early proposed electrochemical micropumps, such as the complicated time-sequence power control, the need of large/long nozzle-diffuser structure and the limitation of the sealed reservoir. This micropump driven by a simple circuit control without mechanical moving parts is suitable for the development of low power-consumption and compact micropumps. Experimental results demonstrate the pumping function of our micropump to continuously push liquid forward based on our roughness gradient design and the periodic electrolytic-bubble generation in the microchannel.