AC electro-osmosis micro-fluidic device for pumping and mixing liquids and method for pumping and mixing liquids

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a device for mixing micro-fluids while pumping them or a device for pumping and simultaneously mixing the liquids and bio-molecules and a method for mixing and simultaneously pumping the liquids, and more particularly to a device for mixing and pumping micro-fluids having electrode pairs, in which each pair consists of two electrodes: an electrode pair having a first electrode and a second electrode with a greater width than the first electrode are disposed in parallel, provided on at least one internal face of a liquid channel and a method for mixing and pumping micro-fluids by applying an alternating current voltage to the electrode pair. According to the present invention, an alternating current electro-osmosis occurs near an electrode pair comprising a relatively narrow electrode and a wide electrode to produce complicate flow characteristics so that liquids are effectively mixed and simultaneously pumped in the fields of a small medical device or a small fluid device, etc.

1 . A micro-fluidic device for pumping and mixing liquids provided with electrode pairs, in which each pair consists of two electrodes: an electrode pair having a first electrode and a second electrode with a greater width than the first electrode on at least one internal face of a liquid channel. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode pairs have a linear or a curved strip shape. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein at least one electrode pair has at least one bend in its shape. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrode pairs are applied by a voltage through an alternating current power source. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of the liquid channel is one selected from the group consisting of substantially a circle, triangle, rectangle, pentagon and hexagon. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid channel has a linear or a curved shape. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrodes are conducting metals. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the widths of the first electrode and the second electrode are 1 to 90 μm. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein at least one electrode pair is provided in a length direction or a width direction of the liquid channel. 
     
     
         10 . A method for mixing and pumping liquids, which comprises: providing with electrode pairs, in which each pair consists of two electrodes: a first electrode and a second electrode with a greater width than the first electrode on at least one internal face of a liquid channel, mixing and pumping liquids by applying a voltage through an alternating current power source. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the electrode pair has a linear or a curved strip shape including at least one bend. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the widths of the first electrode and the second electrode are 1 to 90 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein at least one electrode pair is provided in a length direction or a width direction of the liquid channel.