@inproceedings{31506,
  author = {Behrouz Tavakol and Michael Bozlar and Guillaume Froehlicher and Howard A. Stone and Ilhan A. Aksay and Douglas P. Holmes},
  title = {Buckling of Dielectric Elastomeric Plates for Electrically Active Microfluidic Pumps},
  abstract = { <p>
	Fluid flow can be directed and controlled by a variety<br>of mechanisms within industrial and biological environments. Advances in<br>microfluidic technology have required innovative ways to control fluid flow on a<br>small scale, and the ability to actively control fluid flow within microfluidic devices<br>is crucial for advancements in nanofluidics, biomedical fluidic devices, and digital<br>microfluidics. In this work, we present a means for microfluidic control via the electrical<br>actuation of thin, flexible valves within microfluidic channels. These structures<br>consist of a dielectric elastomer confined between two compliant electrodes that can<br>be actively and reversibly buckle out of plane to pump fluids from an applied voltage.<br>The out-of-plane deformation can be quantified using two parameters: net change<br>in surface area and the shape of deformation. Change in surface area depends on<br>the voltage, while the deformation shape, which significantly affects the flow rate, is<br>a function of voltage, and the pressure and volume of the chambers on each side of<br>the thin plate. The use of solid electrodes enables a robust and reversible pumping<br>mechanism that will have will enable advancements in rapid microfluidic diagnostics,<br>adaptive materials, and artificial muscles.
</p>
 },
  year = {2013},
  journal = {American Physical Society, Division of Fluid Dynamics - 66th Annual Meeting},
  month = {11/2013},
  address = {Pittsburgh, PA},
  language = {eng},
}