CAREER: Ferrohydrodynamic Pumping in Traveling Magnetic Fields: Theory and Fluidic Applications

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This proposal presents a closed-loop magnetic fluid (ferrofluid) pumping scheme using traveling magnetic fields. Pumping ferrofluids with external magnetic fields alone opens the door to a wide range of applications at the macro, micro and nano-scales, resulting in reliable, scalable, simpler, cheaper, compact and energy efficient fluid actuation concepts. The insights and experience gained as part of this proposed work will inspire and lead to investigations of a wider range of applications for ferrofluids, including cooling, biomedical and manufacturing industries, both within the PI's research laboratory and elsewhere.Intellectual Merits: The proposed work involves a multi-disciplinary research program that incorporates colloidal chemistry, magnetism and fluid mechanics, combining fundamental modeling and analysis with a simple and effective testing methodology. The proposal offers to advance the physical understanding of fluid mechanics at multiple size scales, coupled with nano-scale magnetic phenomena and magnetization dynamics. The study will integrate physical, mathematical and numerical modeling with both macro- and micro-scale experiments. This approach results in testable theoretical predictions and develops a fundamental understanding of ferrohydrodynamics that allows effective device designs, enabling practical and useful applications.Broader Impacts: The results of this study will provide valuable opportunities for the interdisciplinary training of both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as ample prospects for outreach activities in the greater New Haven area around Yale University. One of the research tools that will be used as part of this project involves low cost microfluidic devices which lend themselves naturally to the creation of a design-based, hands-on bioengineering teaching laboratory for both undergraduate and graduate students. A teaching module already being developed by the PI includes an online, interactive tutorial software, a diffusion simulation package, cheap yet powerful laboratory components designed around microfluidic devices, and associated real-time analysis software. The goal of the teaching module is to help students understand key concepts of microfluidics via a hypothesis and testing-based methodology. The PI is currently working on adapting the module for use at Yale University and other institutions. This coursework development is aimed at ensuring an interdisciplinary approach to Engineering education, both at the graduate and undergraduate levels.The PI has chosen the Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program (CPEP) as his main collaborator for his planned outreach activities around the New Haven area, which has a significant population of socially and economically "at-risk" children, as well as a high concentration of traditionally underrepresented minority students. He has already volunteered to participate in their teacher development program and classroom enrichment activities. The PI will share the beautiful and magical world of ferrofluids with young students, bringing in demonstration kits (comprised of various oil and water based ferrofluids, small permanent magnets and videos detailing experiments they can conduct in the classroom) and artistic pictures and movies taken using ferrofluids. He is also getting ready to host open-house days in his laboratory for visits by secondary school students, as well as invite qualified high school minority students for summer internship programs. Finally, the PI has volunteered to act as a faculty judge in the upcoming New Haven Science Festival.