This monograph contains expert knowledge on complex fluid-flows in microfluidic devices. The topical spectrum includes, but is not limited to, aspects such as the analysis, experimental characterization, numerical simulations and numerical optimization. The target audience primarily comprises researchers who intend to embark on activities in microfluidics. The book can also be beneficial as supplementary reading in graduate courses.

This book serves as an introduction to the continuum mechanics and mathematical modeling of complex fluids in living systems. The form and function of living systems are intimately tied to the nature of surrounding fluid environments, which commonly exhibit nonlinear and history dependent responses to forces and displacements. With ever-increasing capabilities in the visualization and manipulation of biological systems, research on the fundamental phenomena, models, measurements, and analysis of complex fluids has taken a number of exciting directions. In this book, many of the world’s foremost experts explore key topics such as: Macro- and micro-rheological techniques for measuring the material properties of complex biofluids and the subtleties of data interpretation Experimental observations and rheology of complex biological materials, including mucus, cell membranes, the cytoskeleton, and blood The motility of microorganisms in complex fluids and the dynamics of active suspensions Challenges and solutions in the numerical simulation of biologically relevant complex fluid flows This volume will be accessible to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in engineering, mathematics, biology, and the physical sciences, but will appeal to anyone interested in the intricate and beautiful nature of complex fluids in the context of living systems.

This text focuses on the physics of fluid transport in micro- and nanofabricated liquid-phase systems, with consideration of gas bubbles, solid particles, and macromolecules. This text was designed with the goal of bringing together several areas that are often taught separately - namely, fluid mechanics, electrodynamics, and interfacial chemistry and electrochemistry - with a focused goal of preparing the modern microfluidics researcher to analyse and model continuum fluid mechanical systems encountered when working with micro- and nanofabricated devices. This text serves as a useful reference for practising researchers but is designed primarily for classroom instruction. Worked sample problems are included throughout to assist the student, and exercises at the end of each chapter help facilitate class learning.

Microfluidics is a young and rapidly expanding scientific discipline, which deals with fluids and solutions in miniaturized systems, the so-called lab-on-a-chip systems. It has applications in chemical engineering, pharmaceutics, biotechnology and medicine. As the lab-on-a-chip systems grow in complexity, a proper theoretical understanding becomes increasingly important. The basic idea of the book is to provide a self-contained formulation of the theoretical framework of microfluidics, and at the same time give physical motivation and examples from lab-on-a-chip technology. After three chapters introducing microfluidics, the governing equations for mass, momentum and energy, and some basic flow solutions, the following 14 chapters treat hydraulic resistance/compliance, diffusion/dispersion, time-dependent flow, capillarity, electro- and magneto-hydrodynamics, thermal transport, two-phase flow, complex flow patterns and acousto-fluidics, as well as the new fields of opto- and nano-fluidics. Throughout the book simple models with analytical solutions are presented to provide the student with a thorough physical understanding of order of magnitudes and various selected microfluidic phenomena and devices. The book grew out of a set of well-tested lecture notes. It is with its many pedagogical exercises designed as a textbook for an advanced undergraduate or first-year graduate course. It is also well suited for self-study.

Drawing on the author's lectures on fluid mechanics modeling, this text takes a rigorous approach to the topic while maintaining a clear, easy-to-understand style. It deals with the main physical phenomena that occur in slow, inertialess viscous flows commonly encountered in various industrial, biophysical, and natural processes. Suitable for students in chemical or mechanical engineering, bioengineering, and physics, the book discusses a wide variety of topics, including confined flows, complex fluids, and rheology. Each situation is illustrated with examples and multi-part problems that stress analytical solutions and the physical interpretation of the mathematical results.

&Quot;This book explores flow through passages with hydraulic diameters from about 1 [mu]m to 3 mm, covering the range of minichannels and microchannels. Design equations along with solved examples and practice problems are also included to serve the needs of practicing engineers and students in a graduate course."--BOOK JACKET.

The application of microfluidics to biotechnology is an exciting new area that has already begun to revolutionize how researchers study and manipulate macromolecules like DNA, proteins and cells in vitro and within living organisms. Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, the Artech House bestseller, Microfluidics for Biotechnology brings you to the cutting edge of this burgeoning field. Among the numerous updates, the second edition features three entirely new chapters on: non-dimensional numbers in microfluidics; interface, capillarity and microdrops; and digital, two-phase and droplet microfluidics.Presenting an enlightening balance of numerical approaches, theory, and experimental examples, this book provides a detailed look at the mechanical behavior of the different types of micro/nano particles and macromolecules that are used in biotechnology. You gain a solid understanding of microfluidics theory and the mechanics of microflows and microdrops. The book examines the diffusion of species and nanoparticles, including continuous flow and discrete Monte-Carlo methods.This unique volume describes the transport and dispersion of biochemical species and particles. You learn how to model biochemical reactions, including DNA hybridization and enzymatic reactions. Moreover, the book helps you master the theory, applications, and modeling of magnetic beads behavior and provides an overview of self-assembly and magnetic composite. Other key topics include the electric manipulation of micro/nanoparticles and macromolecules and the experimental aspects of biological macromolecule manipulation.

Accompanying DVD-ROM contains ... "all chapters of the Springer Handbook."--Page 3 of cover.

Microfluidics deals with fluids flowing in miniaturized systems, and has practical applications in the pharmaceutical, biomedical and chemical engineering fields. This text provides an introduction to this emerging discipline.

This open access book, published in the Soft and Biological Matter series, presents an introduction to selected research topics in the broad field of flowing matter, including the dynamics of fluids with a complex internal structure -from nematic fluids to soft glasses- as well as active matter and turbulent phenomena. Flowing matter is a subject at the crossroads between physics, mathematics, chemistry, engineering, biology and earth sciences, and relies on a multidisciplinary approach to describe the emergence of the macroscopic behaviours in a system from the coordinated dynamics of its microscopic constituents. Depending on the microscopic interactions, an assembly of molecules or of mesoscopic particles can flow like a simple Newtonian fluid, deform elastically like a solid or behave in a complex manner. When the internal constituents are active, as for biological entities, one generally observes complex large-scale collective motions. Phenomenology is further complicated by the invariable tendency of fluids to display chaos at the large scales or when stirred strongly enough. This volume presents several research topics that address these phenomena encompassing the traditional micro-, meso-, and macro-scales descriptions, and contributes to our understanding of the fundamentals of flowing matter. This book is the legacy of the COST Action MP1305 “Flowing Matter”.