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Electro–elasto–microfluidic precisely tuned manipulation of particles regulated by polymer chain length
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Xinlei Qi, Shuhao Ma, Guoqing Hu*
Journal of Experiments in Fluid Mechanics | 2026, 40(4) : 105 - 116
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Journal of Experiments in Fluid Mechanics | 2026, 40(4): 105-116
• Special Issue on Microscale and Nanoscale Flows •
Electro–elasto–microfluidic precisely tuned manipulation of particles regulated by polymer chain length
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Xinlei Qi, Shuhao Ma, Guoqing Hu*
Affiliations
  • State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Department of Engineering Mechanics,Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
Published: 2026-08-25 doi: 10.11729/syltlx20250126
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Electro–elasto–microfluidic technology integrates the high controllability of electric fields with the viscoelasticity of non-Newtonian fluids, representing a frontier approach for precise manipulation of particles at the micro- and nanoscale. However, existing studies have predominantly focused on macroscopic rheological properties and particle size effects, while the influence of microscopic rheological parameters—such as polymer chain length—on particle migration behavior remains insufficiently understood. In particular, the coupling mechanism between the polymer chain length and slip-velocity-induced lift has yet to be elucidated. In this study, an electro–elasto–microfluidic system with tunable viscoelastic parameters was designed, and a control strategy incorporating polymer chain-scale parameters was established to systematically investigate the effects of polymer solutions with different chain lengths and concentrations on the migration of nano- and microparticles. Experimental results demonstrate that the polymer chain length plays a critical role in regulating the lift force balance in electro–elasto–coupled systems. Numerical simulations further reveal that the polymer chain length significantly influences the particle slip velocity. The particle slip velocity Us exhibits an approximately linear dependence on the ratio between the force acting on the particle and its radius, Fp/R. With increasing polymer chain length, the slip velocity Us decreases monotonically under identical Fp/R conditions. Theoretical analysis indicates that, as particle size decreases, the flow-induced elastic lift decays much more rapidly than the slip-induced lift, causing the latter to dominate nanoparticle manipulation. Based on these findings, efficient nanoparticle focusing at prescribed flow velocities, as well as high-throughput continuous separation of particles spanning the nano- to microscale, were achieved by appropriately matching polymer chain length and concentration. This work not only elucidates the microscopic regulatory role of the polymer chain length—a key microrheological parameter—on macroscopic particle dynamics, but also provides a new theoretical foundation and design strategy for electro–elasto–synergistically driven microfluidic sorting technologies.

microfluidics  /  particle manipulation  /  non-Newtonian fluids  /  micro- and nanoscale flows
綦新磊, 马淑浩, 胡国庆. 聚合物链长调控的电场–弹性微流控颗粒精确操控机制研究. 实验流体力学, 2026 , 40 (4) : 105 -116 . DOI: 10.11729/syltlx20250126
Xinlei Qi, Shuhao Ma, Guoqing Hu. Electro–elasto–microfluidic precisely tuned manipulation of particles regulated by polymer chain length[J]. Journal of Experiments in Fluid Mechanics, 2026 , 40 (4) : 105 -116 . DOI: 10.11729/syltlx20250126
Year 2026 volume 40 Issue 4
118
54
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Article Info
doi: 10.11729/syltlx20250126
  • Receive Date:2025-12-31
  • Online Date:2026-10-22
  • Published:2026-08-25
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History
  • Received:2025-12-31
  • Revised:2026-02-12
  • Accepted:2026-03-05
Affiliations
    State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Department of Engineering Mechanics,Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
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表12种不同金属材料的力学参数
科
Family
属数
Number of
genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of
total species (%)
属
Genus
种数
Number of
species
占总种数比例
Percentage of total
species (%)
鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae 2 11 5.26 鹅膏菌属 Amanita 10 4.78
小菇科 Mycenaceae 2 12 5.74 丝盖伞属 Inocybe 5 2.39
多孔菌科 Polyporaceae 8 14 6.70 蜡蘑属 Laccaria 5 2.39
红菇科 Russulaceae 3 23 11.00 小皮伞属 Marasmius 6 2.87
小菇属 Mycena 11 5.26
光柄菇属 Pluteus 5 2.39
红菇属 Russula 17 8.13
栓菌属 Trametes 5 2.39
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