Experimental verification of a theoretical treatment of the mechanism of dielectrophoresis

Experimental verification of dielectrophoresis models, proposed 20 years ago by Sher and 6 years ago by Sauer, was carried out by a new method allowing the total dielectrophoretic spectrum of a single cell to be obtained. Measurements of the force acting on a cell during positive dielectrophoresis, and for the first time also during negative dielectrophoresis, are reported. Our results include measurements of the dielectrophoretic spectra of Neurospora crassa (slime) cells, and evaluation of the relationship between the critical frequency, f0 (i.e. the frequency of the electric field which separates the ranges of positive and negative dielectrophoresis) on the one hand, and medium conductivity and cell size on the other. They indicate, that only Sauer's model is applicable to dielectrophoresis of living cells modelled as stratified particles of lossy dielectric. © 1989.

Duke Scholars

Author Piotr E. Marszalek Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...