Acousto-fluidics
Intense acoustic waves move, mix, heat or atomize fluids. We seek to elucidate the mechanisms at the origin of these effects which are exploited in microfluidics.
Oscillation instability – In collaboration with Nicolas Chastrette (PhD student), Philippe Brunet, Laurent Royon (MSC, University Paris Cité) and Michaël Baudoin (IEMN, Université de Lille), we have elucidated the mechanism of spontaneous oscillation of sessile drops irradiated by a surface wave. These oscillations, which precede the displacement of the sessile drops, constitute the first stage of the process of transport of drops by surface waves in free-surface microfluidics.
N. Chastrette, M. Baudoin, P. Brunet, L. Royon, R. Wunenburger, Elucidating the oscillation instability of sessile drops triggered by surface acoustic waves, Physical Review Fluids 7 (12), 124201 (2022).
Scholte waves – Discovered in 1947, Scholte waves are mechanical waves propagating at the interface between a solid and a liquid without radiating into the liquid. They are potentially interesting for irradiating objects located in the vicinity of solid substrates: sedimented particles, adherent cells, etc. But their generation is poorly controlled. In collaboration with Vivian Aubert (PhD student), Cédric Poulain (CEA Grenoble) and Tony Valier-Brasier (Institut d'Alembert), we have shown that these waves could be generated by a simple means that can be integrated into microfluidic circuits and we have demonstrated their efficiency in concentrating red blood cells and manipulating free or even adherent cells.
V. Aubert, R. Wunenburger, T. Valier-Brasier, D. Rabaud, J.-F. Kleeman, C. Poulain, A simple acoustofluidic chip for microscale manipulation using evanescent Scholte waves, Lab Chip (2016).
Currently, in collaboration with Adrien Bussonnière (MSC, Université Paris Cité) and Tony Valier-Brasier (Institut d'Alembert), we are studying the mechanism of conversion of a Rayleigh wave into a Scholte wave at a solid-liquid triple line- air.