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EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF TWO-PHASE PENETRATING FLOW OF NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN POLYMERIC FLUIDS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN DRUG/GENE DELIVERY

Boehm, Michael

Abstract Details

2009, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Chemical Engineering.

Rheology, simply stated as the study of the flow and deformation of matter, is afield with grand importance yet a meager following. Be it velocity distributions and turbulence within the Sun or the flow of jelly from your donut’s center, the field of rheology offers tools to understanding the simple to the complex. For example, one such simple experiment that hides far more complex dynamics is the flow of a low viscosity fluid through a much higher viscosity liquid. This is also known as coring flow and has been studied extensively for the macro-scale. The dynamics for coring flow have not been studied, to the best of the author's knowledge, on the micro-scale and it is that disparity the research detailed here addresses.

There are many important aspects to consider before performing multiphase micro-fluidic research including what micro-fabrication methods are used, how the microchip is interfaced to the macro-world, how the fluids will behave, and how the micro-channel geometry will affect the dynamics. This dissertation addresses those topics as they apply to the research performed and detailed here. Three different fabrication techniques are explained, detailed, and used to highlight the benefits and drawbacks of working on the micro-scale. Bonding is also an important part of fabrication and so two different methods are discussed. Finally, the way a microchip is interfaced to the macro-world affects the correlations that can be made. Three different interfacing systems that worked well are presented.

The fundamental process of coring on the micro-scale is investigated and explained for circular, square, and rectangular geometries. The simple case of a Newtonian coating fluid was researched first, followed by the case of a viscoelastic coating fluid, and finally the case where the coring fluid contained a surfactant. It was found that, in general, micro-scale coring matches that of the macro-scale except for the case of a viscoelastic coating fluid. New bubble behavior was observed for high flow rates through a viscoelastic coating fluid.

As engineers, we wrestle something practical out of our understanding of the fundamental. This principle was the driving motivation behind the three practical applications of micro-scale coring flow that were. Coring flow was used to add a functional coating to capillaries for use in Capillary Electrophoresis, to coat a static mixer, and to create nozzle-like structures in a micro-channel. The final goal of these practical applications was to develop a toolbox of procedures and data that can be used in a wide array of fields including (a) coatings to reduce non-specific binding in drug/gene delivery applications, (b) coatings for separation and detection techniques like Capillary Electrophoresis, and (c) a simple means to smoothing rough channels made via micro-/nano-machining.

Kurt Koelling (Advisor)
Jose Castro (Committee Member)
Jeffrey Chalmers (Committee Member)
289 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Boehm, M. (2009). EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF TWO-PHASE PENETRATING FLOW OF NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN POLYMERIC FLUIDS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN DRUG/GENE DELIVERY [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253548237

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Boehm, Michael. EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF TWO-PHASE PENETRATING FLOW OF NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN POLYMERIC FLUIDS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN DRUG/GENE DELIVERY. 2009. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253548237.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Boehm, Michael. "EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF TWO-PHASE PENETRATING FLOW OF NEWTONIAN AND NON-NEWTONIAN POLYMERIC FLUIDS AND DEVELOPMENT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS IN DRUG/GENE DELIVERY." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1253548237

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)