Microscale Surface Tension And Its Applications

Building on advances in miniaturization and soft matter, surface tension effects are a major key to the development of soft/fluidic microrobotics. Benefiting from scaling laws, surface tension and capillary effects can enable sensing, actuation, adhesion, confinement, compliance, and other structural and functional properties necessary in micro- and nanosystems. Various applications are under development: microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices, soft gripping and manipulation of particles, colloidal and interfacial assemblies, fluidic/droplet mechatronics. The capillary action is ubiquitous in drops, bubbles and menisci, opening a broad spectrum of technological solutions and scientific investigations. Identified grand challenges to the establishment of fluidic microrobotics include mastering the dynamics of capillary effects, controlling the hysteresis arising from wetting and evaporation, improving the dispensing and handling of tiny droplets, and developing a mechatronic approach for the control and programming of surface tension effects. In this Special Issue of Micromachines, we invite contributions covering all aspects of microscale engineering relying on surface tension. Particularly, we welcome contributions on fundamentals or applications related to: Drop-botics: fluidic or surface tension-based micro/nanorobotics: capillary manipulation, gripping, and actuation, sensing, folding, propulsion and bio-inspired solutions; Control of surface tension effects: surface tension gradients, active surfactants, thermocapillarity, electrowetting, elastocapillarity; Handling of droplets, bubbles and liquid bridges: dispensing, confinement, displacement, stretching, rupture, evaporation; Capillary forces: modelling, measurement, simulation; Interfacial engineering: smart liquids, surface treatments; Interfacial fluidic and capillary assembly of colloids and devices; Biological applications of surface tension, including lab-on-chip and organ-on-chip systems.

Building on advances in miniaturization and soft matter, surface tension effects are a major key to the development of soft/fluidic microrobotics. Benefiting from scaling laws, surface tension and capillary effects can enable sensing, actuation, adhesion, confinement, compliance, and other structural and functional properties necessary in micro- and nanosystems. Various applications are under development: microfluidic and lab-on-chip devices, soft gripping and manipulation of particles, colloidal and interfacial assemblies, fluidic/droplet mechatronics. The capillary action is ubiquitous in drops, bubbles and menisci, opening a broad spectrum of technological solutions and scientific investigations. Identified grand challenges to the establishment of fluidic microrobotics include mastering the dynamics of capillary effects, controlling the hysteresis arising from wetting and evaporation, improving the dispensing and handling of tiny droplets, and developing a mechatronic approach for the control and programming of surface tension effects. In this Special Issue of Micromachines, we invite contributions covering all aspects of microscale engineering relying on surface tension. Particularly, we welcome contributions on fundamentals or applications related to: Drop-botics: fluidic or surface tension-based micro/nanorobotics: capillary manipulation, gripping, and actuation, sensing, folding, propulsion and bio-inspired solutions; Control of surface tension effects: surface tension gradients, active surfactants, thermocapillarity, electrowetting, elastocapillarity; Handling of droplets, bubbles and liquid bridges: dispensing, confinement, displacement, stretching, rupture, evaporation; Capillary forces: modelling, measurement, simulation; Interfacial engineering: smart liquids, surface treatments; Interfacial fluidic and capillary assembly of colloids and devices; Biological applications of surface tension, including lab-on-chip and organ-on-chip systems. We expect novel as well as review contributions on all aspects of surface tension-based micro/nanoengineering. In line with Micromachines' policy, we also invite research proposals that introduce ideas for new applications, devices, or technologies.

Moving Particle Semi-implicit Method: A Meshfree Particle Method for Fluid Dynamics begins by familiarizing the reader with basic theory that supports their journey through sections on advanced MPH methods. The unique insights that this method provides include fluid-structure interaction, non-Newtonian flow, and cavitation, making it relevant to a wide range of applications in the mechanical, structural, and nuclear industries, and in bioengineering. Co-authored by the originator of the MPS method, this book is the most authoritative guide available. It will be of great value to students, academics and researchers in industry. Presents the differences between MPH and SPH, helping readers choose between methods for different purposes Provides pieces of computer code that readers can use in their own simulations Includes the full, extended algorithms Explores the use of MPS in a range of industries and applications, including practical advice

This volume contains an archival record of the NATO Advanced Institute on Microscale Heat Transfer – Fundamental and Applications in Biological and Microelectromechanical Systems held in Çesme – Izmir, Turkey, July 18–30, 2004. The ASIs are intended to be high-level teaching activity in scientific and technical areas of current concern. In this volume, the reader may find interesting chapters and various Microscale Heat Transfer Fundamental and Applications. The growing use of electronics, in both military and civilian applications has led to the widespread recognition for need of thermal packaging and management. The use of higher densities and frequencies in microelectronic circuits for computers are increasing day by day. They require effective cooling due to heat generated that is to be dissipated from a relatively low surface area. Hence, the development of efficient cooling techniques for integrated circuit chips is one of the important contemporary applications of Microscale Heat Transfer which has received much attention for cooling of high power electronics and applications in biomechanical and aerospace industries. Microelectromechanical systems are subject of increasing active research in a widening field of discipline. These topics and others are the main themeof this Institute.

Until the 1980s, a tacit agreement among many physical oceanographers was that nothing deserving attention could be found in the upper few meters of the ocean. The lack of adequete knowledge about the near-surface layer of the ocean was mainly due to the fact that the widely used oceanographic instruments (such as bathythermographs, CTDs, current meters, etc.) were practically useless in the upper few meters of the ocean. Interest in the ne- surface layer of the ocean rapidly increased along with the development of remote sensing techniques. The interpretation of ocean surface signals sensed from satellites demanded thorough knowledge of upper ocean processes and their connection to the ocean interior. Despite its accessibility to the investigator, the near-surface layer of the ocean is not a simple subject of experimental study. Random, sometimes huge, vertical motions of the ocean surface due to surface waves are a serious complication for collecting quality data close to the ocean surface. The supposedly minor problem of avoiding disturbances from ships’ wakes has frustrated several generations of oceanographers attempting to take reliable data from the upper few meters of the ocean. Important practical applications nevertheless demanded action, and as a result several pioneering works in the 1970s and 1980s laid the foundation for the new subject of oceanography – the near-surface layer of the ocean.

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) are evolving into highly integrated technologies for a variety of application areas. Add the biological dimension to the mix and a host of new problems and issues arise that require a broad understanding of aspects from basic, materials, and medical sciences in addition to engineering. Collecting the efforts of renowned leaders in each of these fields, BioMEMS: Technologies and Applications presents the first wide-reaching survey of the design and application of MEMS technologies for use in biological and medical areas. This book considers both the unique characteristics of biological samples and the challenges of microscale engineering. Divided into three main sections, it first examines fabrication technologies using non-silicon processes, which use materials that are appropriate for medical/biological analyses. These include UV lithography, LIGA, nanoimprinting, injection molding, and hot-embossing. Attention then shifts to microfluidic components and sensing technologies for sample preparation, delivery, and analysis. The final section outlines various applications and systems at the leading edge of BioMEMS technology in a variety of areas such as genomics, drug delivery, and proteomics. Laying a cross-disciplinary foundation for further development, BioMEMS: Technologies and Applications provides engineers with an understanding of the biological challenges and biological scientists with an understanding of the engineering challenges of this burgeoning technology.

Through analyses, experimental results, and worked-out numerical examples, Microscale and Nanoscale Heat Transfer: Fundamentals and Engineering Applications explores the methods and observations of thermophysical phenomena in size-affected domains. Compiling the most relevant findings from the literature, along with results from their own re

This book includes basics of impedance spectroscopy technology, substrate compatibility issues, integration capabilities, and several applications in the detection of different analytes. It helps explore the importance of this technique in biological detection, related micro/nanofabricated platforms and respective integration, biological synthesis schemes to carry out the detection, associated challenges, and related future directions. The various qualitative/quantitative findings of several modules are summarized in the form of the detailed descriptions, schematics, and tables. Features: Serves as a single source for exploring underlying fundamental principles and the various biological applications through impedance spectroscopy. Includes chapters based on nonbiological applications of impedance spectroscopy and IoT-enabled impedance spectroscopy-based methods for detection. Discusses derivations, substrates, applications, and several integrations. Describes micro/nanofabrication of impedance-based biological sensors. Reviews updated integrations like digital manufacturing and IoT. This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in material science, impedance spectroscopy, and biosensing.