Drag Reduction by Bubble-Covered Surfaces Found in PDMS Microchannel through Depressurization

Drag reduction was found in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microchannels when the flow was pulled by depressurization at the inlet, and it was attributed to the formation of the bubbles on the PDMS surface. The formed bubbles were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the resultant effective slip length was measured by microparticle image velocimetry (mu PIV). The drag reduction was found to decrease as the bubbles grew and detached from the surface, causing a pulsatile flow in the microchannel.