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Electrokinetic pump having capacitive electrodes

  • US 8,192,604 B2
  • Filed: 01/25/2011
  • Issued: 06/05/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. An electrokinetic system, comprising:

  • an electrokinetic device including a pair of electrodes, and a porous dielectric material between the electrodes, wherein each electrode of the pair of electrodes comprises a material having a capacitance of at least 10

    4
    Farads per square centimeter;

    a liquid in the elecktrokinetic device between the pair of electrodes;

    a power supply; and

    a controller, the controller programmed to;

    (a) apply a positive current from the power supply to the electrodes to charge the capacitance of the electrodes and to move the liquid through the porous dielectric material in a first direction;

    (b) stop applying the positive current applied by the power supply to the electrodes prior to reaching a threshold voltage for a Faradaic process in the liquid; and

    (c) apply a negative current from the power supply to the electrodes to move the liquid through the porous dielectric material in a second direction that is opposite to the first directions.

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