AGS-PRF: Building a Microfluidic Platform to Study Atmospheric Aerosol

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Microfluidics is a multidisciplinary technique with applications in several science and engineering disciplines that yields practical design of systems in which small volumes (microliters or less) of fluids can be handled. Typically, gas bubbles or liquid droplets can be moved, mixed, separated or otherwise processed at a micro domain, and in ways that bulk processing simply cannot attain. [Common examples are ink-jet printers, or 'lab-on-chip' analysis systems]. There are several applications to the study of the physics and chemistry of individual, or group aerosol particles or droplets to which microfluidic approaches may be well tasked. Microfluidics allows precise control over droplet size and shape. The chemical composition of generated droplets will be chosen in order to replicate ambient atmospheric aerosol particles. When trapped in a hydrodynamic trap, a holding device, these aerosol mimics will be further examined by microscopy with an attached high-speed camera. Experiments with changing fluid flow rates, and, thus, extensional strain rate on the droplets, along with temperature, will change the environmental conditions experienced by the droplets. Direct educational benefits include the mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students in a multi-disciplinary research group. The project has the potential to foster increased partnerships between academia and industry because the methods used in this project have general applicability.