Due to the small scale of microscale devices, Reynolds numbers are typically under 100, which imply laminar flow. Consequently, turbulence is not an available mixing mechanism and diffusion dominates mass transport. As a result, researchers have developed various novel designs to enhance mixing. These can be categorized into active and passive devices. Active devices exert some form of control over the flow field through moving parts or varied pressure gradients. While active mixers produce impressive results, they are usually offset by increased difficulty in fabrication and integration into the rest of the system. Solutions based on passive mixers are preferred as they are easy to fabricate and highly compatible with applications.
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