arXiv subjects

Gilad Yossifon

Publications and source records attributed to Gilad Yossifon.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2019

Electrothermal active control of preconcentrated biomolecule plugs

Concentration polarization (CP) based biomolecule preconcentration is highly effective in enhancing the detection sensitivity, yet fails to precisely and dynamically control the location of the preconcentrated biomolecule plug to ensure overlap with the sensing region (e.g. immobilized molecular probes). Here, we used electrothermal (ET) stirring as a means of controlling the location of a preconcentrated biomolecule plug. The applied microfluidic device consisted of a Nafion membrane to induce the CP, and an array of individually addressable microscale heaters for active local ET stirring. The experimental results demonstrated that such a novel platform enabled active control of the location of the preconcentrated plug of target biomolecules, ensuring its overlap with the functionalized microparticles, ultimately yielding enhanced detection sensitivity and binding kinetics. This was demonstrated using avidin-biotin particles as a simple bead-based bioassay model.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2018

Active control of ion transport within a nanofluidic system

The ability to induce regions of high and low ionic concentration adjacent to a permeselective membrane or nanochannel subject to an externally applied electric field (a phenomenon termed concentration-polarization) has been used for a broad spectrum of applications ranging from on-chip desalination, bacteria filtration to biomolecule preconcentration. But these applications have been limited by the ability to control the length of the diffusion layer that is commonly indirectly prescribed by the fixed geometric and surface properties of the nanofluidic system. Here, we demonstrate that the depletion layer can be dynamically varied by inducing controlled electrothermal flow driven by the interaction of temperature gradients with the applied electric field. To this end, a series of microscale heaters, which can be individually activated on demand are embedded at the bottom of the microchannel and the relationship between their activation and ionic concentration is characterized. Such spatio-temporal control of the diffusion layer can be used to enhance on-chip electro-dialysis by producing shorter depletion layers, to dynamically reduce the microchannel resistance relative to that of the nanochannel for nanochannel based (bio)sensing, to generate current rectification reminiscent of a diode like behavior and control the location of the preconcentrated plug of analytes or the interface of brine and desalted streams.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2017

Mobile Microelectrodes: Towards active spatio-temporal control of the electric field and selective cargo assembly

With an eye towards next-generation, smart, micro/nanofluidic devices, capable of responding to external stimuli or changes in environment, we demonstrate a means to achieve dynamic control of the spatio-temporal properties of the electric field in a standardized microfluidic chamber. Typical top-down patterning, currently used to design the field distribution, is replaced by freely-suspended colloids which locally disturb the electric field from the bottom-up. Even under uniform forcing, polarization of the colloid induces the formation of strong, three-dimensional gradients at its surface - essentially repurposing it into a portable floating electrode whose precise location can be manipulated to reconfigure the electric field in real time. Focusing on active Janus colloids as a sample platform, we measure the strength of the induced gradients and highlight the advantages of a colloid-based system by revealing a prototype for an all-in-one cargo carrier, capable of on-demand, selective, label-free assembly and transport of micro/nano sized targets.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Probing space charge and resolving overlimiting current mechanisms at the micro-nanochannel interface

We present results demonstrating the space charge-mediated transition between classical, diffusion-limited current and surface-conduction dominant over-limiting current in a shallow micro-nanochannel device. The extended space charge layer develops at the depleted micro-nanochannel entrance at high current and is correlated with a distinctive maximum in the dc resistance. Experimental results for a shallow surface-conduction dominated system are compared with theoretical models, allowing estimates of the effective surface charge at high voltage to be obtained. In comparison to an equilibrium estimate of the surface charge obtained from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, it is further observed that the effective surface charge appears to change under applied voltage.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Time-dependent ion transport in heterogeneous permselective systems

The current study extends previous analytical and numerical solutions of chronopotentiometric response of one-dimensional systems consisting of three layers to the more realistic two-dimensional heterogeneous ion-permselective medium. An analytical solution for the transient concentration-polarization problem, under the local electro-neutrality approximation and ideal permselectivity, was obtained using the Laplace transform and separation of variables. Then the two-dimensional electric potential was obtained numerically and was compared to the full Poisson-Nernst-Planck solution. It was then shown that the resultant voltage drop across the system varies between the initial Ohmic response and that of the steady-state accounting for concentration-polarization. Also, field-focusing effect in a two-dimensional system is shown to result in a faster depletion of ions at the permselective interface.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2015

Extended space charge near non-ideally selective membranes and nanochannels

We demonstrate the role of selectivity variation in the structure of the non-equilibrium extended space-charge using 1D analytic and 2D numerical Poisson-Nernst-Planck models for the electro- diffusive transport of a symmetric electrolyte. This provides a deeper understanding of the underly- ing mechanism behind a previously-observed maximum in the resistance-voltage curve for a shallow micro-nanochannel interface device [Schiffbauer, Liel, Leibowitz, Park, and Yossifon, submitted to Phys. Rev. E.]. The current study helps to establish a connection between parameters such as the geometry and nanochannel surface-charge and the control of selectivity and resistance in the over-limiting current regime.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2015

Effect of Induced-Charge Electro-Kinetics on Concentration-Polarization in a Microchannel-Nafion System

Induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) is shown to control the length scale of the diffusion layer (DL), which in turn, affects the diffusion limited ion transport through the microchannel-Nafion membrane system. The ICEO vortices form at an interdigitated floating electrode array embedded within a microchannel interfacing a Nafion membrane and stir the fluid, arresting the diffusive growth of the depletion layer. By varying the spacing between the array and the membrane we are able to control the length of the DL. Activating the electrodes results in further enhancement of the fluid stirring due to the emergence of alternating-current electro-osmotic (ACEO) flow on top of the ICEO. Such a new method of controlling the DL with an electrode array is of great importance in many CP related realizations.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Competition between Induced-Charge Electro-Osmosis and Electro-Thermal Effects around a Weakly-Polarizable Microchannel Corner

The microchannel corner is a common inherent component of most planar microfluidic systems and thus its influence on the channel flow is of significant interest. Application of an alternating current electric field enables quantification of the non-linear induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) ejection flow effect by isolating it from linear electro-osmotic background flow which is present under dc forcing. The hydrodynamic flow in the vicinity of a sharp channel corner is analyzed using experimental micro-particle-image-velocimetry (PIV) and numerical simulations for different buffer concentrations, frequencies and applied voltages. Divergence from the purely ICEO flow with increasing buffer conductivity is shown to be a result of increasing electro-thermal effects due to Joule heating.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Bridging the Gap between an Isolated Nanochannel/pore System and Communicating Multipore Heterogeneous Membrane System

To bridge the gap between single/isolated pore systems to multi-pore systems, such as membranes/electrodes, we studied an array of nanochannels with varying interchannel spacing that controlled the degree of channel communication. Instead of treating them as individual channels connected in parallel or an assembly like a homogeneous membrane, this study resolves the pore-pore interaction. We found that increased channel isolation leads to current intensification whereas at high voltages electro-convective effects control the degree of communication via suppression of the diffusion layer growth

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Effect of geometry on concentration polarization in realistic heterogeneous permselective systems

This study extends previous analytical solutions of concentration-polarization occurring solely in the depleted region, to the more realistic geometry consisting of a three dimensional (3D) heterogeneous ion-permselective medium connecting two opposite microchambers (i.e. 3 layers system). Under the local electro-neutrality approximation, the separation of variable methods is used to derive an analytical solution of the electro-diffusive problem for the two opposing asymmetric microchambers. Assuming an ideal permselective medium allows for the analytic calculation of the 3D concentration and electric potential distributions as well as a current-voltage relation. It is shown that any asymmetry in the microchamber geometries will result in current rectification. Moreover, it is demonstrated that for non-negligible microchamber resistances the conductance does not exhibit the expected saturation at low concentrations but instead shows a continuous decrease. The results are intended to facilitate a more direct comparison between theory and experiments as now the voltage drop is across a realistic 3D and 3-layer system.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2014

Particle Dynamics and Rapid Trapping in Electro-Osmotic Flow Around a Sharp Microchannel Corner

We study here the curious particle dynamics resulting from electro-osmotic flow around a microchannel junction corner whose dielectric walls are weakly polarizable. The hydrodynamic velocity field is obtained via superposition of a linear irrotational term associated with the equilibrium zeta potentials of both the microchannel and particle surfaces and the non-linear induced-charge electro-osmotic flow which originates from the interaction of the externally applied electric field on the charge cloud it induces at the solid-liquid interface. The particle dynamics are analyzed by considering dielectrophoretic forces via the addition of a mobility term to the flow field in the limit of Stokes drag law. The former, non-divergence free term is responsible for migration of particles towards the sharp microchannel junction corner, where they can potentially accumulate. Experimental observations of particle trapping for various applied electric fields and microparticle size are rationalized in terms of the growing relative importance of the dielectrophoretic force and induced-charge contributions to the global velocity field with increasing intensity of the externally applied electric field.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2013

Spinning Janus doublets driven in uniform AC electric fields

We provide an experimental proof-of-concept for a robust, continuously rotating microstructure - consisting of two metallodielectric (gold-polystyrene)Janus particles rigidly attached to each other - which is driven in uniform ac fields by asymmetric induced-charge electroosmosis. The pairs (doublets) are stabilized on the substrate surface which is parallel to the plane of view and normal to the direction of the applied electric field. We find that the radius of orbit and angular velocity of the pair are predominantly dependent on the relative orientations of the interfaces between the metallic and dielectric hemispheres and that the electrohydrodynamic particle-particle interactions are small. Additionally, we verify that both the angular and linear velocities of the pair are proportional to the square of the applied field which is consistent with the theory for non-linear electrokinetics. A simple kinematic rigid body model is used to predict the paths and double velocities (angular and linear) based on their relative orientations with good agreement.

physics.flu-dyn↗