Acoustophoresis in polymer-based microfluidic devices: Modeling and experimental validation

A finite-element model is presented for numerical simulation in three dimensions of acoustophoresis suspended microparticles a microchannel embedded polymer chip and driven by an attached piezoelectric transducer at MHz frequencies. In accordance with the recently introduced principle whole-system ultrasound resonances, optimal resonance mode identified that related to acoustic combined transducer-chip-channel system not conventional pressure half-wave microchannel. The acoustophoretic action comparable quality strength silicon-glass or pure glass devices. predictions are validated focusing experiments on 5-um-diameter polystyrene particles inside microchannel, which was milled into PMMA-chip. anti-symmetrically transducer, 30-V peak-to-peak AC-voltage range from 0.5 2.5 MHz, leading energy densities 13 J/m^3 particle times 6.6 s.