Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 2, 2026
07:20
Trapping of Micro Particles in Nanoplasmonic Optical Lattice
Published on: September 5, 2017
7.0K
Trapping and Driving Individual Charged Micro-particles in Fluid with an Electrostatic Device
Jingjing Xu1, Zijing Lei1, Jingkun Guo1
11Key Laboratory for the Physics & Chemistry of Nanodevices, and Department of Electronics, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 People's Republic of China.
Nano-Micro Letters
|November 22, 2018
Summary
Researchers developed electrostatic tweezers for precise manipulation of charged micro-particles in microfluidics. This novel technique offers a scalable alternative for sorting, selecting, and analyzing micro/nanoparticles.
Area of Science:
- Biophysics
- Nanotechnology
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Micro-tweezers like optical, magnetic, and dielectrophoresis are vital for characterizing micro/nanoparticles and biomolecules.
- These techniques enhance understanding of subcellular components like organelles, proteins, and DNA.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel controllable electrostatic device for microfluidic manipulation.
- To demonstrate the principles of electrostatic tweezers for driving, trapping, and releasing charged micro-particles.
Main Methods:
- Integration of a controllable electrostatic device within a microchannel.
- Utilizing electrostatic forces to manipulate charged micro-particles in a microfluidic environment.
Main Results:
- Successful demonstration of driving, trapping, and releasing charged micro-particles.
- The electrostatic tweezers device is scalable to smaller dimensions.
Conclusions:
- The developed electrostatic tweezers offer a viable alternative to existing micro-manipulation technologies.
- Potential for integration with dielectrophoresis and other methods to create hybrid systems for advanced micro/nanoparticle manipulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:22Motion Of A Charged Particle In A Magnetic Field
7.1K
A charged particle experiences a force when moving through a magnetic field. Consider the field to be uniform and the charged particle to move perpendicular to it. If the field is in a vacuum, the magnetic field is the dominant factor determining the motion. Since the magnetic force is perpendicular to the direction of motion, a charged particle follows a curved path. The particle continues to follow this curved path until it forms a complete circle. Another way to look at this is that the...
7.1K
03:27Ions and Ionic Charges
79.1K
In ordinary chemical reactions, the nucleus — which contains the protons and neutrons of each atom and thus identifies the element — remains unchanged. Electrons, however, can be added to atoms by transfer from other atoms, lost by transfer to other atoms, or shared with other atoms. The transfer and sharing of electrons among atoms govern the chemistry of the elements. During the formation of some compounds, atoms gain or lose electrons to form electrically charged particles called...
79.1K
02:42Formal Charges
40.5K
In some cases, there are seemingly more than one valid Lewis structures for molecules and polyatomic ions. The concept of formal charges can be used to help predict the most appropriate Lewis structure when more than one reasonable structure exists.
40.5K
03:37Subatomic Particles
113.1K
Dalton was only partially correct about the particles that make up matter. All matter is composed of atoms, and atoms are composed of three smaller subatomic particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. These three particles account for the mass and the charge of an atom.
113.1K
01:41Social Traps
26.9K
Social traps are negative situations where people get caught in a direction or relationship that later proves to be unpleasant, with no easy way to back out of or avoid. The concept was orignally introduced by John Platt who applied psychology to Garrett Hardin's "Tragedy of the Commons", where in New England herd owners could let their cattle graze in the common ground. This situation seems like a good idea, but an individual could have an advantage. If they owned...
26.9K
02:54Trends in Lattice Energy: Ion Size and Charge
26.7K
An ionic compound is stable because of the electrostatic attraction between its positive and negative ions. The lattice energy of a compound is a measure of the strength of this attraction. The lattice energy (ΔHlattice) of an ionic compound is defined as the energy required to separate one mole of the solid into its component gaseous ions. For the ionic solid sodium chloride, the lattice energy is the enthalpy change of the process:
26.7K