Pukyong National University

Prof. Im Do-jin of PKNU on the cover page of an international journal
His thesis, 'Effect of Deformation on Droplet Contact Charge Electrophoresis (CCEP)' on the international journal, <Langmuir>

The thesis by Professor Im Do-jin (Department of Chemical Engineering) of Pukyong National University is published on the cover paper of the recent issue (No.36) of <Langmuir> and is generating intense academia interest.

Professor Lim's thesis, which was published as the cover paper of <Langmuir>, is 'Effect of Deformation on Droplet Contact Charge Electrophoresis'.

This paper has been recognized for its value by clarifying the core basic phenomenon of the droplet (small droplet) contact charging, which is emerging as a next-generation technology in the field of microfluidics.

The effect of deformation on the droplet contact charge electrophoresis refers to a phenomenon in which a conductive droplet existing in a non-conductive medium directly contacts a high-voltage electrode, and the droplet is charged with the same charge as the electrode at the same time as the contact, and moves to the opposite electrode by an electrical repulsive force.

In this paper, Professor Im presented the results of accurately calculating the change in charge amount and the resistance when moving in a fluid as a droplet is deformed under an electric field with comparison of experimental and numerical results. This research result is evaluated as an essential basic research result that can greatly increase the utility of next-generation digital microfluidic technology.

The digital microfluidics technology  began to receive attention from academia as it is based on the effect of deformation on the droplet contact charge electrophoresis is a next-generation technology with very high potential for use in life science and medicine fields, such as cell culture and observation, drug reactivity testing, as it can utilize small droplets as individual bioreactors using electricity.

Professor Im carried on this research with the support of Basic Research in Science & Engineering of the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), and his research capacity is being recognized in the academia by publishing the cover paper for the relevant research in this April.

The SCI-level journal <Langmuir> has been founded in 1985 by the American Chemical Society (ACS) in honor of Irving Langmuir, the Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, and is recognized for its world-class authority in the fields of chemistry, materials, colloids and surface science. <Pukyong Today>