Numerical Simulation of an Electroosmotic Micromixer

Abstract

We present a micromixer fabricated using MEMS technology which takes advantage of electroosmosis to mix fluids. A time dependent electric field is applied and the resulting electroosmosis perturbs the low Reynolds number flow. It is shown that the electric field can be deemed quasi-steady and the electroosmotic slip boundary condition can be applied when the incompressible Navier Stokes equation is solved. Both the electric field and the electroosmotic flow are simulated numerically. Study of the particle traces shows folding and stretching of material lines, and a positive Lyapunov exponent is found which indicates chaotic-like mixing.