Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 1.2
Effect of micromixer type on a chemical reaction with more than one product: (a) fast mixing with chaotic
advection and (b) slow mixing with molecular diffusion. (S: substrate, R: reagent, P1: product 1, P2: product 2).
process is P 2 . If mixing occurs quickly, for instance, through chaotic advection, all molecules of R are
utilized in the first reaction to form P 1 , not many R molecules are left for the secondary reaction. Thus,
the main product of the reaction is P 1 . Figure 1.2 illustrates this problem.
1.2 MICROMIXERS AS MICROREACTORS
Since 2000, we have witnessed increasing activities in the use of microfluidic technology in analytical
chemistry and chemical production. Mixing is the central process of most microfluidic devices for
medical diagnostics, genetic sequencing, chemistry production, drug discovery, and proteomics. The
impact of micromixers on microfluidic systems for chemical analysis and synthesis is similar to that of
transistors in integrated circuits. Although micromixers for analysis and synthesis are different, some
applications require both classes. For instance, in combinatorial chemistry and screening micro-
devices, micromixers are analytical tools for information gathering and synthetic tools for providing
minute quantities of products.
In micromixers for analysis, information gained from this product is the purpose of the mixing
process and the reaction. The amount of the reaction product only needs to fulfill the delectability
requirements. In contrast, reaction products in synthesis applications are used to make materials with
improved properties at favorable conditions given by micromixers. A large amount of the product may
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