AC electroosmotic micropumping with a square spiral microelectrode array

An electro-kinetic micropumping device has been designed, experimentally tested and analyzed theoretically using coupled computational fluid dynamic and electrostatic simulations. A microelectrode array uses the principle of AC electroosmosis; bulk fluid motion due to ions driven along microelectrode surfaces by forces stemming from tangential electric fields. Three submerged microelectrode wires, deposited to form a square spiral, had a three-phase traveling-wave applied AC signal to create a net flow. Microsphere tracers were used to measure the flow to determine pumping performance, and compare the fluid velocity and operating frequency to theoretical results. The device presented here demonstrated bi-directional pumping capabilities and the potential for use as both a particle collector and microfluidic pump.