Effect of Colloidal Interactions and Hydrodynamic Stress on Particle Deposition in a Single Micropore

Clogging is ubiquitous. It happens in a wide range of material processing and causes severe performance degradation or process breakdown. In this study, we investigate clogging dynamics in a single micropore by controlling the surface property of the particle and processing condition. Microfluidic observation is conducted to investigate particle deposition in a contraction microchannel where polystyrene suspension is injected as a feed solution. The particle deposition area is quantified using the images taken using a CCD camera in both upstream and downstream of the microchannel. Pressure drop across the microchannel is also measured. When the particle interaction is repulsive, the deposition occurs mostly in downstream, while an opposite tendency is identified when the particle interaction is attractive. More complex deposition characteristics are found as the flow rate is changed. Par…