Microscale modelling of dielectrophoresis assembly processes

TL;DR

This paper introduces a microscale computational model for simulating dielectrophoresis assembly of particles, capturing dynamics like chain formation and hierarchical aggregation, aiding in the design of particle-based materials.

Contribution

The work presents a novel microscale simulation approach for dielectrophoresis assembly, enabling detailed analysis of particle structures and their formation processes.

Findings

Model captures chain and hierarchical structure formation

Quantitative analysis of structure size and number

Potential for designing hierarchical materials

Abstract

This work presents a microscale approach for simulating the dielectrophoresis (DEP) assembly of polarizable particles under an external electric field. The model is shown to capture interesting dynamical and topological features, such as the formation of chains of particles and their incipient aggregation into hierarchical structures. A quantitative characterization in terms of the number and size of these structures is also discussed. This computational model could represent a viable numerical tool to study the mechanical properties of particle-based hierarchical materials and suggest new strategies for enhancing their design and manufacture.