Nanoparticle manipulation by dielectrophoresis

In the last decades, non-uniform electric field proved to be the most promising technique for nanoparticles manipulation with applications in fields such as medicine, biology, physics or nano technology. The paper presents a set of numerical results concerning the influence of the dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces on a nanoparticle suspension. The DEP force depends on the electric properties of the nanoparticles, as well as their shape, size and mass, and the properties of the surrounding medium. The numerical study was performed in the frame of a mathematical model describing the electric field distribution and the suspended nanoparticle movement in a dense and viscous fluid. The equations are solved, together with the appropriate boundary conditions using a code based on the finite element method. The dielectrophoretic force distribution, the particle trajectories and the nanoparticle concentration profile are computed. This type of analysis leads to the optimization of the control parameters and is crucial in the designing process of an experimental micro fluidic device with application in the separation of submicronic particles. (Author)