A mathematical model of mixing enhancement in microfluidic channel with a constriction under periodic electro-osmotic flow

A microfluidic channel with a constriction produced poor mixing conditions under periodic electroosmotic flow. However, the mixing performance may be enhanced significantly by altering other parameters. Numerical simulations are used to investigate the effect of the direct current electric field (E-DC), phase difference (phi), and length of constriction (L). A mathematical model, based on the structural features of the Lagrange function rather than its application, is proposed to establish a relationship between the mixing performance and these three parameters. The feasibility analysis has been carried out, and the results are verified by the data from simulation and experiment. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3678037]