Abstract:

Traditional microfluidic systems primarily rely on passive mechanisms or external flow-driven methods for particle manipulation, often lacking the precision and adaptability required for advanced biomedical and lab-on-a-chip applications. Acoustic metamaterials provide a transformative approach by enabling highly tunable and efficient acoustofluidic manipulation through engineered wave-matter interactions. This talk presents the design and experimental realization of three resonance-enhanced acoustofluidic platforms: (1) high-Q resonant bulk acoustic wave (BAW) systems for low-frequency, large-scale fluid manipulation, (2) high-Q resonant surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices for localized, high-precision wave control, and (3) resonance-enhanced microfluidic systems for advanced bioparticle manipulation and biomedical applications. By leveraging phononic crystal meta-mirrors and resonance-driven wave confinement, these platforms enable unprecedented control over acoustic forces, streaming effects, and fluid dynamics. A theoretical framework is introduced to accurately predict and optimize acoustic wave interactions with metamaterials, paving the way for next-generation acoustofluidic technologies in particle manipulation, biomedical diagnostics, and targeted drug delivery.

Biography:

Xianchen Xu is a Postdoctoral Associate at Duke University in the Acoustofluidics Group. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Missouri and previously worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Michigan State University. His research focuses on developing acoustic metamaterials for wave manipulation, high-Q resonance-enhanced acoustofluidics, and bioparticle control. By integrating functional metamaterials, computational modeling, and experimental validation, his work aims to revolutionize microfluidic technologies for solid-liquid interaction and biomedical applications. His research has broad implications for wave manipulation, lab-on-a-chip systems, and next-generation biomedical diagnostics. Xianchen collaborates with researchers from Duke University, MIT, Harvard University, and interdisciplinary teams to advance acoustofluidic innovation.

ALL INTERESTED ARE WELCOME