2007/12/20 by M. Schindler, Michael Schindler, Armand Ajdari +1 · 1 citation
Engineering · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Electrowetting and Microfluidic Technologies #Innovative Microfluidic and Catalytic Techniques Innovation #Microfluidic and Capillary Electrophoresis Applications #math.DS #nlin.CD #physics.flu-dyn
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.044501
published as Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 044501 (2008) · accepted for publication in PRL
arxiv created 2007/12/20 · openalex publication_date 2008/01/28 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We propose a simple model to analyze the traffic of droplets in microfluidic "dual networks." Such functional networks which consist of two types of channels, namely, those accessible or forbidden to droplets, often display a complex behavior characteristic of dynamical systems. By focusing on three recently proposed configurations, we offer an explanation for their remarkable behavior. Additionally, the model allows us to predict the behavior in different parameter regimes. A verification will clarify fundamental issues, such as the network symmetry, the role of the driving conditions, and of the occurrence of reversible behavior. The model lends itself to a fast numerical implementation, thus can help designing devices, identifying parameter windows where the behavior is sufficiently robust for a device to be practically useful, and exploring new functionalities.