Charge transport between liquid marbles

• Liquid marble was studied as micro reactors.
• Charge and mass transport properties of liquid marble were explored.
• Sample mixing profiles inside a liquid marble were achieved.
• The study indicates that nutrient refilling and waste removal can be realized.
• Liquid marble has the potential use for electric stimulation and reaction monitoring.

Recent studies on liquid marble applications have shown the possibilities of using liquid marbles as biochemical or biological reactors. These potential applications of liquid marbles generate further interests in the investigation of materials and energy transport between liquid marbles to enable the control and manipulation of the biochemical and biological reactions inside them. In this study, the transport of electric charges between liquid marbles containing electrolyte solutions is demonstrated through a Daniell cell made with liquid marbles. Potential and current comparisons of the Daniell cells made using liquid marbles and solutions in beakers are made. Results show that charge transport between liquid marbles driven by electrochemical reactions is possible. Furthermore, the solution mixing conditions inside a liquid marble is also investigated experimentally and through modeling. The results offer a preliminary appraisal of the internal conditions of liquid marbles as a biological reactor.

A Daniell Cell was made with liquid marbles. The sample mixing profiles inside liquid marbles were studied and the transport of electric charge and energy between the liquid marble cells was demonstrated. Only microlitres of electrolytes are required to construct an electric cell, showing the liquid marbles can form micro electrochemical reactors.Figure optionsDownload high-quality image (148 K)Download as PowerPoint slide