Study the Heat Transfer Process From Electron-Phonon Nonequilibrium in Thin Gold Film to Glass Substrate Through Transient Thermoreflectance Measurements

How the energy transfers during electron-phonon nonequilibrium in thin metal films is still an open question, and how to measure the intrinsic thermal transport properties of the material under the covering layer is another challenge. In this paper, the heat transfer process from electron-phonon nonequilibrium in thin gold film to borosilicate glass substrate has been studied by resorting to different segments of the transient thermoreflectance signal, which is obtained from the rear-pump front-probe transient thermoreflectance technique. The gold film, which has a thickness of 23.1 nm, is deposited on the borosilicate glass substrate using using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) approach. Within the framework of the two-temperature model (TTM), the electron-phonon (e-ph) coupling factors of the gold film, which reflect the strength of heat flow from hot electrons to cold phonons, are derived from the signal taken after the first several picoseconds with different pump fluences, and the measured value is (1.95–2.05)×1016 W m−3 K−1. The electron-phonon coupling factor does not significantly change in response to the pump pulse fluence variation and exhibits little change compared to the bulk gold value 2.4×1016 W m−3 K−1. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the glass substrate is obtained through the thermoreflectance signal between 20 to 140 picoseconds and the value is W m−1 K−1.

Numerical Multiphysics Modeling of Microdroplet Motion Dynamics in Digital Microfluidic Systems

In this paper a novel numerical algorithm is proposed for modeling the transient motion of microdroplets in digital microfluidic systems. The new methodology combines the effects of the electrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures to calculate the actuating and opposing forces and the moving boundary of the microdroplet. The proposed model successfully predicts transient motion of the microdroplet in digital microfluidic systems, which is crucial in the design, control and fabrication of such devices. The results of such an analysis are in agreement with the expected trend.

Moderate Reynolds Number Mixing in a T-Channel

An experimental investigation of water flow in a T-shaped channel with rectangular cross section (20 × 20 mm inlet ID and 20 × 40 mm outlet ID) has been conducted for a Reynolds number Re range of 56 to 422, based on inlet diameter. Dynamical conditions and the T-channel geometry of the current study are applicable to the microscale. This study supports a large body of numerical work, and resolution and the interrogation region are extended beyond previous experimental studies. Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and particle imaging velocimetry (PIV) are used to characterize flow behaviors over the broad range of Re where realistic T-channels operate. Scalar structures previously unresolved in the literature are presented. Special attention is paid to the unsteady flow regimes that develop at moderate Re, which significantly impact mixing but are not yet well characterized or understood. An unsteady symmetric topology, which develops at higher Re and negatively impacts mixing, is presented, and mechanisms behind the wide range of mixing qualities predicted for this regime are explained. An optimal Re operating range is identified based on multiple experimental trials.

Two Algorithms for Solving Coupled Particle Dynamics and Flow Field Equations in Two-Phase Flows

Two methods for solving coupled particle dynamics and flow field equations simultaneously by considering fluid-particle interactions to simulate two-phase flow are presented and compared. In many conditions, such as magnetic micro mixers and shooting high velocity particles in fluid, the fluid-particle interactions can not be neglected. In these cases it is necessary to consider fluid-particle interactions and solve the related coupled equations simultaneously. To solve these equations, suitable algorithms should be used to improve convergence speed and solution accuracy. In this paper two algorithms for solving coupled incompressible Navier-Stokes and particle dynamics equations are proposed and their efficiencies are compared by using them in a computer program. The main criterion that is used for comparison is the time they need to converge for a specific accuracy. In the first algorithm the particle dynamics and flow field equations are solved simultaneously but separately. In the second algorithm in each iteration for solving flow field equations, the particle dynamics equation is also solved. Results for some test cases are presented and compared. According to the results the second algorithm is faster than the first one especially when there is a strong coupling between phases.

The Pressure Drop and Dynamic Contact Angle of Motion of Triple-Lines in Hydrophobic Microchannels

At two-phase flow in microchannels, slug flow regime is different for wettability of surface. A slug in a hydrophilic microchannel has liquid film. However, a slug in a hydrophobic microchannel has no liquid film instead, the slug has triple-lines and makes higher pressure drop due to the motion of the triple-line. In previous researches, pressure drop of triple-line is depended of dynamic contact angle, channel diameter and fluid property. And, dynamic contact angle is depended of static contact angle, superficial velocity and fluid property. In order to understand the pressure drop of motion of triple-lines, pressure drop of slug with triple-lines in case of various diameters (0.546, 0.763, 1.018, 1.555, 2.075 mm), various fluids (D.I.water, D.I.water-1, 5, 10% ethanol mixture) and various superficial velocity (j = 0.01∼0.4 m/s) was measured. Dynamic contact angle was calculated from relation of the pressure drop of slug with triple-lines. Comparing with previous dynamic contact angle correlations, previous correlation underestimated dynamic contact angle in the region of this study. (10−4≤Ca≤10−3, 10−2≤We≤10−1, 68°≤θS≤110°)

Measurement of Burst Pressure of Capillary Burst Valve

Capillary burst valve (CBV), a counterpart to an elastomeric diaphragm microvalve, handles fluid in microchannels by capillarity. Thus, it avoids integration of mechanical components. We experimentally estimated the burst pressure, beyond which CBV cannot hold fluid, using fluids with distinct surface tensions in CBVs grafted with distinct surface constitutions in microchannels. We found that both the fluid surface tension and the solid surface constitution influence the burst pressure. The burst pressure reduces more significantly under the influence of the fluid surface tension.

Prediction of Chemical Reaction Yield in a Microreactor and Development of a Pilot Plant Using the Numbering-Up of Microreactors

The chemical reaction yield was predicted by using Monte Carlo simulation. The targeted chemical reaction of a performance evaluation using the microreactor is the consecutive reaction. The main product P1 is formed in the first stage with the reaction rate constant k1. Moreover, the byproduct P2 is formed in the second stage with the reaction rate constant k2. It was found that the yield of main product P1 was improved by using a microreactor when the ratio of the reaction rate constants became k1/k2 >1. To evaluate the Monte Carlo simulation result, the yields of the main products obtained in three consecutive reactions. It was found that the yield of the main product in cased of k1/k2 >1 increased when the microreactor was uesd. Next, a pilot plant involving the numbering-up of 20 microreactors was developed. The 20 microreactor units were stacked in four sets, each containing five microreactor units arranged. The maximum flow rate when 20 microreactors were used was 1 × 104 mm3/s, which corresponds to 72 t/year. Evaluation of the chemical performance of the pilot plant was conducted using a nitration reaction. The pilot plant was found to capable of increasing the production scale without decreasing the yield of the products.

The Study on Flow Patterns of Condensation of Superheated Vapor in Nanochannels

The model of two phases of liquid and vapor flow and vapor condensation under the condition of exerted force was established in parallel nanochannel. Fluid was water molecular and the solid walls are composed of Pt atoms. The process of vapor condensation in nanochannel wall was simulated by molecular dynamic simulation. The different flow patterns of the condensation process of superheated water vapor, which mainly were annular flow, injection flow, slug flow, bubble flow and shrinking bubble flow, were observed under different conditions. For low pressure of water vapor, a new flow pattern which was named as fluctuation flow appeared during condensation process. The simulation results agreed very well with the experimental results provided by references.

Production of Fluoropolymer Microchips for Droplet Microfluidics and DNA Amplification

In this paper we present a novel fabrication technique for production of monolithic microfluidic chips made from a fluoropolymer (Dyneon THV). This material retains numerous properties of commonly used fluoropolymers (low surface energy and compatibility with chemicals such as organic solvents or fluorinated oil), and is easily processable at relatively low temperatures (lower than 180°C). We used hot embossing to mold microstructures on flat sheets of this polymer. The microchips are sealed through a combination of thermal and solvent bonding by applying uniform pressure with a flexible membrane. These closed channels can be used for the production and circulation of aqueous droplets in fluorinated oil. This droplet microfluidic configuration is suitable for DNA amplification since it avoids cross contamination between adjacent droplets.

Prediction and Measurement of Thermal Transport Across Interfaces Between Isotropic Solids and Graphitic Materials

Due to the high intrinsic thermal conductivity of carbon allotropes, there have been many attempts to incorporate such structures into existing thermal abatement technologies. In particular, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphitic materials (i.e., graphite and graphene flakes or stacks) have garnered much interest due to the combination of both their thermal and mechanical properties. However, the introduction of these carbon-based nanostructures into thermal abatement technologies greatly increases the number of interfaces per unit length within the resulting composite systems. Consequently, thermal transport in these systems is governed as much by the interfaces between the constituent materials as it is by the materials themselves. This paper reports the behavior of phononic thermal transport across interfaces between isotropic thin films and graphite substrates. Elastic and inelastic diffusive transport models are formulated to aid in the prediction of conductance at a metal-graphite interface. The temperature dependence of the thermal conductance at Au-graphite interfaces is measured via transient thermoreflectance from 78 to 400 K. It is found that different substrate surface preparations prior to thin film deposition have a significant effect on the conductance of the interface between film and substrate.