Nature-inspired microfluidic propulsion using magnetic actuation

TL;DR

This paper presents a bio-inspired microfluidic propulsion system that uses magnetically actuated thin films mimicking natural cilia, with a detailed analysis of the forces involved and the resulting fluid flow.

Contribution

It introduces a novel magnetically controlled cilia-like mechanism for microfluidic propulsion, analyzing the interplay of elastic, inertial, viscous, and magnetic forces.

Findings

Fluid propulsion is proportional to the area swept by the cilia.

Asymmetry in flow is achieved through controlled magnetization and magnetic fields.

System response characterized by three key dimensionless parameters.

Abstract

In this work we mimic the efficient propulsion mechanism of natural cilia by magnetically actuating thin films in a cyclic but non-reciprocating manner. By simultaneously solving the elasto-dynamic, magnetostatic and fluid mechanics equations, we show that the amount of fluid propelled is proportional to the area swept by the cilia. By using the intricate interplay between film magnetization and applied field we are able to generate a pronounced asymmetry and associated flow. We delineate the functional response of the system in terms of three dimensionless parameters that capture the relative contribution of elastic, inertial, viscous and magnetic forces.