Microscopic mechanism on coalescence of the nano-droplets in present non-uniform electric field by molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the nano-droplets coalescence process in a non-uniform electric field. Coalescence of droplets driven by dielectrophoresis (DEP) could be observed clearly in a strong electric field. The efficiency of coalescence is remarkably improved about 2 times for non-uniform electric field as much as the efficiency for the uniform electric field. Increasing the gradient of the field, it is found that the DEP force will accelerate the droplets motion of coalescence. But when the gradient of the field increases to a certain degree, the DEP force acting on the droplets presents strongly and rapidly nonlinear increasing and induces the droplets forming the chain structure due to intensively elongating. Moreover, the average operating voltages is much lower in non-uniform electric field.