Meso- and microfluidic continuous flow and stopped flow electroösmotic mixer

A microfluidic channel comprising an electroosmotic mixing region which comprises:

• a) an interior surface;
• b) first and second ends defining a flow axis Z, of said channel,
• c) two or more electrodes comprising one or more gold or copper coatings on said interior surface, wherein said electrodes:
• i. are positioned at a common z axis position along said channel;
• ii. are separated from each other by a distance of about 10 μm to about 1 mm, have two or more chargeable surfaces between them, and have a cross-channel separation distance, d;
• and
• d) means for applying a voltage across two or more of said electrodes to cause electroosmotic mixing;
• and
• e) at least two channel closures positioned upstream and downstream of said electrodes;
• wherein said chargeable surfaces are glass, are substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of said electrodes, and have a cross-channel separation distance w such that w/d is about 1 to about 10;
• and
• wherein said applied voltage is from 0 to about 1.5V.

A microfluidic channel comprising an electroosmotic mixing region which comprises:

• a) an interior surface;
• b) first and second ends defining a flow axis Z, of said channel;
• c) two or more electrodes comprising one or more gold or copper coatings on said interior surface, and which:
• i. form one or more closures that are positioned at said first and second ends of said mixing region;
• ii. are separated from each other by a distance of about 10 μm to about 1 mm, have two or more chargeable surfaces between them, and have a cross-channel separation distance, d;
• d) means for applying a voltage across two or more of said electrodes to cause electroosmotic mixing;
• and
• e) at least two channel closures positioned upstream and downstream of said electrodes;
• wherein said chargeable surfaces are glass, are substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of said electrodes, and have a cross-channel separation distance w such that w/d is 1 to about 10;
• and
• wherein said applied voltage is from 0 to about 1.5V.