• 대한기계학회논문집B
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• 제32권11호
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• pp.824-831
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• 2008

We present a continuous size-dependent particle separator using a negative dielectrophoretic (DEP) virtual pillar array. Two major problems in the previous size-dependent particle separators include the particle clogging in the mechanical sieving structures and the fixed range of separable particle sizes. The present particle separator uses the virtual pillar array generated by negative DEP force instead of the mechanical pillar array, thus eliminating the clogging problems. It is also possible to adjust the size of separable particles since the size of virtual pillars is a function of a particle diameter and applied voltage. At an applied voltage of 500 kHz $10\;V_{rms}$ (root mean sqaure voltage) sinusidal wave and a flow rate of $0.40\;{\mu}l\;min^{-1}$, we separate $5.7\;{\mu}m$-, $8.0\;{\mu}m$-, $10.5\;{\mu}m$-, and $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter polystyrene (PS) beads with separation purity of 95%, 92%, 50%, and 63%, respectively. The $10.5\;{\mu}m$- and $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter PS beads have relatively low separation purity of 50% and 63%. However, at an applied voltage of $8\;V_{rms}$, we separate $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter PS beads with separation purity over 99%. Therefore, the present particle separator achieves clog-free size-dependent particle separation, which is capable of size tuning of separable particles.

• 대한전기학회논문지:전기물성ㆍ응용부문C
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• 제50권3호
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• pp.136-143
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• 2001

A micro particle manipulator, which is devised for trapping particles at fixed positions by negative dielectrophoretic force (DEP force), has been fabricated and experimented. It is composed of square type electrode arrays fabricated by nickel electroplating with the height of 28 ${\mu}m$. To improve the quality of electroplated nickel electrodes, plating conditions have been optimized. Micro particles used in this study are polystyrene spheres and their to the specific position and trapped. The DEP force along the moving path of the particles has been estimated by the motion equation of a single particle. The displacement of a particle with an elapsed time was measured using a high-speed camera (1000 frames/sec). The velocity and acceleration of the particle were calculated from the measured data. The DEP force acting on the particle was estimated.

• 한국분말재료학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.326-335
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• 2010

In this paper, the effect of electrical characteristics and electrode shape on the alignment and attachment of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been studied. The attraction and alignment of MWNTs between the gaps has been investigated by applying electric field which is called electrophoresis and dielectrophoresis. According to the frequency of electric field, positive or negative dielectrophoretic force can be determined. The concentration of MWNTs solution was $5\;{\mu}g/ml$, and a droplet of $1.0{\sim}1.5\;{\mu}l$ was dropped between two electrodes. Through the repeated experiments, the optimal electrical conditions for aligning and attaching MWNTs in the desired places were obtained. Since the frequency range of 100 kHz~10 MHz generated positive dielectrophoretic force, MWNTs were attracted and aligned between the gaps with this frequency range. For generating enough force to attract MWNTs, the appropriate voltage range was $0.3{\sim}1.3\;V_{rms}/{\mu}m$. Furthermore, the effect of electrode shape on the alignment of MWNTs was investigated. A single MWNT attachment was accomplished on the round shaped with 70% yield.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.49-55
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• 2009

This paper presents the optimal shape of microelectrode that generates dielectrophoretic(DEP) force to separate particles in homogeneous medium. The principle of the particles sorting is based on the use of the relative strengths of negative DEP (nDEP) and drag forces, as in a general DEP-activated cell sorter (DACS). To numerically calculate the DEP force and drag force, the simulation is implemented in MATLAB 7.0. The properties of particles, which are used in simulation, are similarly selected as those of cells to apply cell separation. The most optimized shape of electrode is selected by numerical simulation according to a variety of electrode shape such as rectangle, trapezoidal, and right-triangle. Through, in addition, parameter study, we found that applied frequency is more significant factor on the separation than various parameters, such as applied voltage and permittivity of medium, that decide on the strength of DEP force.

• 센서학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.112-117
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• 2010

A high-throughput sorting (HTS) system has been designed to separate target particles using a negative dielectrophoretic (n-DEP) force. The system consists of a meso-sized channel and a cantilever-type electrode(CE) array designed to separate a large number of target particles by discerning subtle difference of weight and dielectric material property of the particles. Using the polystyrene beads with various sizes of 10, 25 and $50{\mu}m$, the developed system exhibits high-throughput sorting of about 200 beads/sec and more than 80 % of separation efficiency.

• 대한기계학회논문집A
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.179-186
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• 2006

Dielectrophoresis has received considerable attention for separating nanotubes according to electronic types. Here we examine the effects of surface conductivity of semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT), induced by ionic surfactants, on the sign of dielectrophoretic force. The crossover frequency of semiconducting SWNT increases rapidly as the conductivity ratio between the particle and medium increases, leading to an incomplete separation of ionic surfactant suspended SWNT at an electric field frequency of 10 MHz. The surface charge of SWNT is neutralized by an equimolar mixture of anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cationic surfactant cetyltrimenthylammonium bromide (CTAB), resulting in negative dielectrophoresis of semiconducting species at 10 MHz. A comparative Raman spectroscopy study shows a nearly complete separation of metallic SWNT.