AC Electric Field Induced Flow around a Sharp Electrode

Abstract

A micro scale flow structure induced with AC (alternating current) electric field around a sharp electrode in a particle dispersion fluid was investigated using a micro particle image velocimetry. This flow structure consists of a micro jet from the tip of the sharp electrode and circulation flows around it. This flow structure has great advantage of applications for a DNA or CNT manipulating and this is available for a micro fluidic device and novel nano scale manufacturing process. It is easy that the flow structure is controlled with a shape of the electrode and the AC electric field conditions. In this study, it was clear that the slant severed type electrode is able to generate the stable micro flow structure around a tip of the sharp electrode and the local velocity of this flow structure increases directly with the square of the electric field intensity. These results suggest that this flow induced with the alternating electric field is concerned with the dielectric properties of particles and this flow structure is able to control with the shape of the electrode.