• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.824-831
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• 2008

We present a continuous size-dependent particle separator using a negative dielectrophoretic (DEP) virtual pillar array. Two major problems in the previous size-dependent particle separators include the particle clogging in the mechanical sieving structures and the fixed range of separable particle sizes. The present particle separator uses the virtual pillar array generated by negative DEP force instead of the mechanical pillar array, thus eliminating the clogging problems. It is also possible to adjust the size of separable particles since the size of virtual pillars is a function of a particle diameter and applied voltage. At an applied voltage of 500 kHz $10\;V_{rms}$ (root mean sqaure voltage) sinusidal wave and a flow rate of $0.40\;{\mu}l\;min^{-1}$, we separate $5.7\;{\mu}m$-, $8.0\;{\mu}m$-, $10.5\;{\mu}m$-, and $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter polystyrene (PS) beads with separation purity of 95%, 92%, 50%, and 63%, respectively. The $10.5\;{\mu}m$- and $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter PS beads have relatively low separation purity of 50% and 63%. However, at an applied voltage of $8\;V_{rms}$, we separate $11.9\;{\mu}m$-diameter PS beads with separation purity over 99%. Therefore, the present particle separator achieves clog-free size-dependent particle separation, which is capable of size tuning of separable particles.