Numerical simulation of surface acoustic wave actuated enantiomer separation by the finite element immersed boundary method

Beleke-Maxwell, K., Franke, T., Hoppe, R.H.W. and Linsenmann, C. (2015) Numerical simulation of surface acoustic wave actuated enantiomer separation by the finite element immersed boundary method. Computers and Fluids, 112, pp. 50-60. (doi: 10.1016/j.compfluid.2015.02.008)

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Abstract

Enantiomers are chiral objects such as chemical molecules that can be distinguished by their handedness. They typically occur as racemic compounds of left- and right-handed species which may have completely different properties. Therefore, in applications such as drug design in pharmacology, enantiomer separation is an important issue. Here, we present a new technology for enantiomer separation by surface acoustic wave generated vorticity patterns consisting of pairwise counter-rotating vortices in a carrier fluid. The enantiomers are injected onto the surface of the fluid between two counter-rotating vortices such that right-handed (left-handed) enantiomers get attracted by left-rotating (right-rotating) vortices. In particular, we are concerned with the numerical simulation of this separation process by an application of the finite element immersed boundary method which relies on the solution of a coupled system consisting of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations and the equations of motion of the immersed enantiomers described with respect to an Eulerian and a Lagrangian coordinate system. For a model system of deformable, initially L-shaped enantiomers the results of the numerical simulations reveal a perfect separation.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Franke, Professor Thomas
Authors: Beleke-Maxwell, K., Franke, T., Hoppe, R.H.W., and Linsenmann, C.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Biomedical Engineering
Journal Name:Computers and Fluids
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0045-7930
ISSN (Online):1879-0747

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