2023/10/10 by Jan-Paul Ruiken, Jörn Villwock, Matthias Kraume · 1 voice
Engineering · #Electrohydrodynamics and Fluid Dynamics #Microfluidic and Bio-sensing Technologies #Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications
paper · pdf · doi:10.3390/mi14101923
openalex publication_date 2023/10/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
A low-impact acoustic levitation system has been developed to study immobilised single drops in liquid-liquid systems. The ability to observe liquid drops several millimetres in diameter for days enables fundamental research into a wide range of mechanisms. Non-invasive optical measurements with excellent optical accessibility are possible. This experimental work provides the basis for mass transfer studies, emphasizing the precise volume determination, signal noise, reproducibility, and the impact of the acoustic field on the drop and its surrounding environment. The setup can be effectively controlled and proves beneficial for research objectives provided that all liquid phases are entirely degassed, and there are no compressible voids present within the liquids. In addition to the precise, uniform, and reliable measurement conditions, we observed no acoustic streaming in the proximity of the drop and there was no significant vibration of the drop. Qualitative observations using rainbow schlieren deflectometry indicate that the nodal or anti-nodal planes of the standing waves can act as barriers to the dispersion of inhomogeneous dissolved substances in the continuous phase.