Electroosmotic (EO) pumps can drive electrolyte
liquids with a wide range of conductivities and
achieve significant pressures and flow rates in a
compact design with no moving parts. These devices
offer important advantages to more traditional
pumping technologies in a variety of applications.
For example, sample delivery and control of liquid
streams is an important requirement in the
development of so-called micro total analysis
systems (microTAS) which aim to integrate multiple
chemical analysis functions onto microfabricated
chip systems. Other potential applications include
microelectronics cooling and portable drug delivery
systems. This work includes theoretical and
experimental studies of electroosmotic pumps. Three
major topics are addressed: analytical and numerical
models for flow and pressure geenration, ion current
and thermodynamic efficiency of porous-structure EO
pumps; experimental studies and performance
quantification of EO pumps built using porous glass
frits and porous silicon membranes; and several
practical design improvements for the control
electrolytic gases generated by these pumps.
liquids with a wide range of conductivities and
achieve significant pressures and flow rates in a
compact design with no moving parts. These devices
offer important advantages to more traditional
pumping technologies in a variety of applications.
For example, sample delivery and control of liquid
streams is an important requirement in the
development of so-called micro total analysis
systems (microTAS) which aim to integrate multiple
chemical analysis functions onto microfabricated
chip systems. Other potential applications include
microelectronics cooling and portable drug delivery
systems. This work includes theoretical and
experimental studies of electroosmotic pumps. Three
major topics are addressed: analytical and numerical
models for flow and pressure geenration, ion current
and thermodynamic efficiency of porous-structure EO
pumps; experimental studies and performance
quantification of EO pumps built using porous glass
frits and porous silicon membranes; and several
practical design improvements for the control
electrolytic gases generated by these pumps.