Electroosmotic flow control in a virtual microchannel based on liquid dielectrophoresis

The electroosmotic flow (EOF) velocity control in a wall-less virtual microchannel is successfully demonstrated here by liquid dielectrophoresis (LDEP). The geometry of the virtual microchannel was determined by the electrode patterns on both top plate and bottom plate. The device is a sandwich structure consisting of hydrophobic layers, dielectric layers, ITO glass plates, and liquid. Neutral fluorescent polystyrene beads are introduced to verify the velocity of EOF. The recorded video indicated the velocity of EOF. The effect of EOF velocity and the effect of the capillary electrophoresis (CE) in the virtual microchannel under different electric field are investigated here. Based on the EOF control studies, capillary electrophoresis would be possible by the proposed liquid manipulation mechanism and structure.