A novel fluidic control method for nanofluidics by solvent-solvent interaction in a hybrid chip

Area of Science:

• Nanofluidics
• Fluid Dynamics
• Surface Chemistry

Background:

• Fluidic control is essential for advancing nanofluidics.
• Existing methods often require specialized equipment or complex setups.
• Controlling fluid flow at the nanoscale presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a new, simple, and controllable fluidic control method for nanofluidics.
• To demonstrate the use of organic phase dissolution for generating flow in nanochannels.
• To present an alternative to conventional fluidic control techniques.

Main Methods:

• An organic phase was induced to flow within a nanochannel via dissolution into a co-flowing aqueous phase.
• A stable organic/aqueous interface was engineered at the micro/nanochannel junction of a hybrid chip.
• The aqueous phase flowed in the microchannel, facilitating the dissolution and subsequent flow of the organic phase in the nanochannel.

Main Results:

• A stable organic/aqueous interface was successfully generated in the hybrid chip.
• The dissolution process effectively drove the organic phase flow inside the nanochannel.
• The flow was controllable and driven by surface tension, independent of nanochannel depth.

Conclusions:

• The described method provides a simple, controllable, and equipment-independent approach for fluidic control in nanofluidics.
• This technique leverages surface tension-driven flow through controlled dissolution.
• It presents a viable alternative to current fluidic control strategies in nanofluidic systems.