Microfluidic mixing in a Y-junction open channel

Abstract

In the laminar regimes typical of microfluidic systems’, mixing is governed by molecular diffusion; however this process is slow in nature. Consequently, passive or active methods are usually sought for effective mixing. In this work, open fluidic channels will be investigated; these channels are bounded on all but one face by an air/fluid interface. Firstly, it will be shown that flow in open channels can merge at a Y-junction in a stable manner; hence two fluids can be brought into contact with each other. Secondly, the mixing of these two fluids will be studied. At high flow rates (>300 μl/min) mixing occurs at the junction without need for additional intervention, this mixing is far swifter than can be expected from molecular diffusion. At lower flow rates, intervention is required. A major motivation for open fluidic channels is the ability to interact with the surrounding air environment; this feature is used to effect the desired mixing. It is shown that by blowing an air jet across the junction, shear stresses at the air/fluid interface causes a flow profile within the fluid inductive to rapid mixing of the fluids.