Microfluidics stands for the science and technology of micro-systems that manipulate very small volumes of fluids. These systems present abundant useful privileges such as lower sample and reagent consumption, smaller analysis time, easier flow control, and higher degrees of automation. These advantages have motivated a considerable growth in the last couple of decades and resulted in a wide range of applications in engineering, medicine, and biology. This talk deals with different aspects of microfluidics. At the beginning, the developments accomplished in the field of microfluidics are discussed from a historical perspective. Moreover, the sources of difference between the flow physics at the microscale and that of macroscale are illuminated. A part of the talk is dedicated to the actuation mechanisms used at the microscale, such as electroosmosis, electrophoresis, diffusioosmosis, dielectrophoresis, etc. At the end of the talk, the applications and future potentials of microfluidics are discussed.
