Dual hydrodynamic trap based on coupled stagnation point flows

Recent advancements in science and engineering have allowed for trapping and manipulation of individual particles and macromolecules within an aqueous medium using a flow-based confinement method. In this work, we demonstrate the feasibility of trapping and manipulating two particles using coupled planar extensional flows. Using Brownian dynamics simulations and a proportional feedback control algorithm, we show that two micro/nanoscale particles can be simultaneously confined and manipulated at the stagnation points of a pair of interconnected planar extensional flows. We specifically studied the effect of strain rate, particle size, and feedback control parameters on particle confinement. We also demonstrate precise control of the interparticle distance by manipulating the strain rates at both junctions and particle position at one of the junctions. We further discuss the advantages and limitations of the dual hydrodynamic trap in comparison to existing colloidal particle confinement methods and outline some potential applications in polymer science and biology. Our results demonstrate the versatility of flow-based confinement and further our understanding of feedback-controlled particle manipulation.

Automated summary

Recent advancements in science and engineering have enabled trapping and manipulation of individual particles and macromolecules in water using a flow-based confinement method. This study demonstrates the feasibility of trapping and manipulating two micro/nanoscale particles using coupled planar extensional flows. The results show that precise control of particle confinement and interparticle distance can be achieved by manipulating strain rates and particle positions. The findings contribute to our understanding of feedback-controlled particle manipulation and have potential applications in polymer science and biology.