(497e) Contact Charge Electrophoresis for Powering Micro- and Nanotechnology

Electric fields have long been used to manipulate colloidal matter (i.e., micro- and nanoscale particles, droplets, macromolecules) and to control its organization.  This talk will describe a relatively new form of electric particle actuation called contact charge electrophoresis (CCEP), in which a conductive object is first charged by contact with an electrode surface and then actuated by an externally applied electric field.  Unlike common forms of electric actuation (e.g., dielectrophoresis), CCEP allows for rapid, sustained motion driven by low power DC voltages.  As a result, this mechanism is well suited for powering the active components of mobile microfluidic technologies and may provide a basis for efficient, chemically-powered colloidal machines.  This talk will describe our recent efforts to understand the fundamental physics underlying CCEP and its application within microfluidic systems.