AC Electric Field (ac + electric_field)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Polymers and Materials Science50%

Selected Abstracts

Orientational Switching of Mesogens and Microdomains in Hydrogen-Bonded Side-Chain Liquid-Crystalline Block Copolymers Using AC Electric Fields ,

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 4 2004
C.-Y. Chao
Abstract In this report, we show that the microstructures of hydrogen-bonded side-chain liquid-crystalline block copolymers can be rapidly aligned in an alternating current (AC) electric field at temperatures below the order,disorder transition but above the glass transition. The structures and their orientation were measured in real time with synchrotron X-ray scattering. Incorporation of mesogenic groups with marked dipolar properties is a key element in this process. A mechanism related to the dissociation of hydrogen bonds is proposed to account for the fast orientation switching of the hydrogen-bonded blends. [source]

Enhancement of electrokinetically driven microfluidic T-mixer using frequency modulated electric field and channel geometry effects

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 18 2009
Deguang Yan
Abstract This study reports improved electrokinetically driven microfluidic T-mixers to enhance their mixing efficiency. Enhancement of electrokinetic microfluidic T-mixers is achieved using (i) an active approach of utilizing a pulsating EOF, and (ii) a passive approach of using the channel geometry effect with patterned blocks. PDMS-based electrokinetic T-mixers of different designs were fabricated. Experimental measurements were carried out using Rhodamine B to examine the mixing performance and the micro-particle image velocimetry technique to characterize the electrokinetic flow velocity field. Scaling analysis provides an effective frequency range of applied AC electric field. Results show that for a T-mixer of 10,mm mixing length, utilizing frequency modulated electric field and channel geometry effects can increase the mixing efficiency from 50 to 90%. In addition, numerical simulations were performed to analyze the mixing process in the electrokinetic T-mixers with various designs. The simulation results were compared with the experimental data, and reasonable agreement was found. [source]

Orientation and Dynamics of ZnO Nanorod Liquid Crystals in Electric Fields

MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS, Issue 12 2010
Matthias Zorn
Abstract ZnO nanorod polymer hybrids (i.e., ZnO nanorods coated with a block copolymer with a short anchor block (dopamine) and a longer solubilizing block of polystyrene (PS)) form liquid crystalline (LC) phases if they are dispersed at high concentration e.g., in a PS oligomer matrix. Due to the high mobility of the low Tg -matrix the nanorod polymer hybrids show a switching behavior under an applied AC electric field. Hence, the orientation of the nanorod mesogens can be changed from planar (parallel to the substrate) to homeotropic (perpendicular) in full analogy to the switching of low molecular liquid crystals in an electric field. Dielectric measurements show that such a switching is mainly due to the cooperative LC behavior, because the rods themselves exhibit only a very small effective dipole moment. The process can be investigated by polarizing microscopy. SEM images show the orientations of the individual nanorods, which correspond to the Fredericks transition well known for liquid crystals aligned in an electric field. This was the first time such a transition could be visualized by electron microscopy due to the large nanorod mesogens. The observation is interesting to orient nanorods perpendicular to an electrode and can help to improve optoelectronic devices. [source]

A 3-D dielectrophoretic filter chip

ELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 7 2007
Ciprian Iliescu Dr.
Abstract The paper presents a 3-D filter chip employing both mechanical and dielectrophoretic (DEP) filtration, and its corresponding microfabrication techniques. The device structure is similar to a classical capacitor: two planar electrodes, made from a stainless steel mesh, and bonded on both sides of a glass frame filled with round silica beads. The solution with the suspension of particles flows through both the mesh-electrodes and silica beads filter. The top stainless steel mesh (with openings of 60,,m and wires of 30,,m-thickness) provides the first stage of filtration based on mechanical trapping. A second level of filtration is based on DEP by using the nonuniformities of the electric field generated in the capacitor due to the nonuniformities of the dielectric medium. The filter can work also with DC and AC electric fields. The device was tested with yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisae) and achieved a maximal trapping efficiency of 75% at an applied AC voltage of 200,V and a flow rate of 0.1,mL/min, from an initial concentration of cells of 5×105 cells/mL. When the applied frequency was varieted in the range between 20 and 200,kHz, a minimal value of capture efficiency (3%) was notticed at 50,kHz, when yeast cells exhibit negative DEP and the cells are repelled in the space between the beads. [source]