Levich Institute Seminar

• Date
  Tue, Mar 05

  Time
  2:00 PM — 3:15 PM

  Website
  http://www-levich.engr.ccny.cuny.edu/ab03052013

  Address
  Steinman Hall
  160 Convent Avenue
  

  Location
  Steinman Hall, 312

  p: 212.650.8157

  Admission
  Free

• Event Details

  SPEAKER: Professor German Drazer, Rutgers University, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

  TITLE:  "Transport of Suspended Particles in Periodic Systems: Applications to Microfluidics for Separation Sciences"
  
  ABSTRACT:  We investigate the complex behavior that takes place during the motion of suspended particles in periodic systems, both when Brownian motion is important as well as when transport is nearly deterministic. A resurgence of interest in these systems comes from the rapidly growing field of microfluidics. In particular, we are interested in the development of separation devices that rely on the unique features of transport in periodic structures. A typical system in our studies consists of suspended particles moving either through a periodic array of obstacles or on top of a periodic pattern fabricated in the bottom surface of a microfluidic channel. In all cases, we investigate how to take advantage of the repetitive effects present in periodic systems to promote and amplify the separation of a mixture of suspended particles. In particular, we focus on vector separation systems in which different species move in different directions within the device. We present analytical and experimental results that show the potential that periodic systems have to induce the spontaneous fractionation of a mixture of particles.