Two layer dielectric-electrolyte micro-flow with pressure gradient

Abstract

The present work considers stability of two-phase dielectric/electrolyte system, consisting of two immiscible liquids in microchannel. The system is set in motion by the constant external electric field, which causes the electroosmotic flow in the electrolyte, and by the pressure driving force. The investigation of its linear stability has shown that there are two types of instability in the system: short-wave and long-wave instability. The short-wave instability occurs for a stronger external field than the long-wave instability but the growth rate of the short-wave instability is much higher than that of the long-wave instability.