Towards an electrowetting-driven microconveyor: an investigation of the load-dependent droplet shape

摘要

In this paper, we investigate the possibilities of using water droplets to support and move a platform, making use of the principle of electrowetting. A new way for making micro-conveyors is thereby developed.The most important element in designing such a micro-conveyor system is the load that it can carry. This paper focuses on the static part, and describes a theoretical model that defines the relationship between the applied load and shape of the supporting droplets. An experimental validation is given, showing good correspondence to the model.Furthermore, experiments regarding an optimal design of the platform are discussed.