Chuan-Hua Chen

Research Interests

Experimental and theoretical research coupling physicochemical hydrodynamics with interfacial engineering

Bio

Chuan-Hua Chen's research interests lie in experimental and theoretical investigations of small-scale physicochemical hydrodynamics, where transport and interfacial phenomena closely interact with each other.

By manipulating surface tension actively and passively, e.g. using electric fields and surface structures, we are developing innovative solutions for applications ranging from bioanalytical assays to microelectronics cooling.

Education

• Ph.D. Stanford University, 2004

Positions

• Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

• Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program. National Science Foundation. 2009

Courses Taught

• ME 631: Intermediate Fluid Mechanics
• ME 592: Research Independent Study in Mechanical Engineering or Material Science
• ME 431L: Heat and Mass Transfer
• ME 336L: Fluid Mechanics

Publications

• Guo HA, Maheshwari S, Patel MS, Bhatt EC, Chen CH. Droplet actuation on superhydrophobic substrates via electric field gradients. Applied Physics Letters. 2019 Mar 18;114(11).
• Guo HA, Wiedenheft KF, Chen CH. Hotspot Size Effect on Conductive Heat Spreading. IEEE Transactions on Components, Packaging and Manufacturing Technology. 2017 Sep 1;7(9):1459–64.
• Liu F, Chavez RL, Patek SN, Pringle A, Feng JJ, Chen C-H. Asymmetric drop coalescence launches fungal ballistospores with directionality. Journal of the Royal Society, Interface. 2017 Jul;14(132):20170083.
• Wiedenheft KF, Guo HA, Qu X, Boreyko JB, Liu F, Zhang K, et al. Hotspot cooling with jumping-drop vapor chambers. Applied Physics Letters. 2017 Apr 3;110(14).
• Chavez RL, Liu F, Feng JJ, Chen C-H. Capillary-inertial colloidal catapults upon drop coalescence. Applied physics letters. 2016 Jul;109(1):011601.
• Zhang K, Liu F, Williams AJ, Qu X, Feng JJ, Chen C-H. Self-Propelled Droplet Removal from Hydrophobic Fiber-Based Coalescers. Physical review letters. 2015 Aug;115(7):074502.
• Qu X, Boreyko JB, Liu F, Agapov RL, Lavrik NV, Retterer ST, et al. Self-propelled sweeping removal of dropwise condensate. Applied Physics Letters. 2015 Jun 1;106(22).
• Scheideler WJ, Chen CH. The minimum flow rate scaling of Taylor cone-jets issued from a nozzle. Applied Physics Letters. 2014 Jan 13;104(2).
• Liu F, Chen CH. Electrohydrodynamic cone-jet bridges: Stability diagram and operating modes. Journal of Electrostatics. 2014 Jan 1;72(4).
• Liu F, Ghigliotti G, Feng JJ, Chen CH. Self-propelled jumping upon drop coalescence on leidenfrost surfaces. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 2014 Jan 1;752:22–38.
• Liu F, Ghigliotti G, Feng JJ, Chen CH. Numerical simulations of self-propelled jumping upon drop coalescence on non-wetting surfaces. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 2014 Jan 1;752:39–65.
• Wisdom KM, Watson JA, Qu X, Liu F, Watson GS, Chen C-H. Self-cleaning of superhydrophobic surfaces by self-propelled jumping condensate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 2013 May;110(20):7992–7.
• Boreyko JB, Chen CH. Vapor chambers with jumping-drop liquid return from superhydrophobic condensers. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer. 2013 Mar 15;61(1):409–18.
• Bober DB, Chen CH. Pulsating electrohydrodynamic cone-jets: From choked jet to oscillating cone. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 2011 Dec 25;689:552–63.
• Boreyko JB, Zhao Y, Chen CH. Planar jumping-drop thermal diodes. Applied Physics Letters. 2011 Dec 5;99(23).
• Zhao Y, Bober DB, Chen CH. Nonclogging Resistive Pulse Sensing with Electrohydrodynamic Cone-Jet Bridges. Physical Review X. 2011 Dec 1;1(2).
• Zhao Y, Liu F, Chen CH. Thermocapillary actuation of binary drops on solid surfaces. Applied Physics Letters. 2011 Sep 5;99(10).
• Boreyko JB, Baker CH, Poley CR, Chen C-H. Wetting and dewetting transitions on hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces. Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids. 2011 Jun;27(12):7502–9.
• Chen CH. Electrohydrodynamic Stability. In 2011. p. 177–220.
• Zhao Y, Chen CH. Electrohydrodynamic coulter counting. 14th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences 2010, MicroTAS 2010. 2010 Dec 1;1:620–2.
• Boreyko JB, Chen CH. Self-propelled jumping drops on superhydrophobic surfaces. Physics of Fluids. 2010 Sep 30;22(9).
• Zhao Y, Chen T, Zhang X, Zauscher S, Chen CH. Development of an adaptive vapor chamber with thermoresponsive polymer coating. Proceedings of the ASME Micro/Nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer International Conference 2009, MNHMT2009. 2010 Jul 12;3:395–8.
• Zhao Y, Boreyko JB, ChianG. MH, Baker CH, Chen CH. Beetle inspired electrospray vapor chamber. Proceedings of the ASME Micro/Nanoscale Heat and Mass Transfer International Conference 2009, MNHMT2009. 2010 Jul 12;3:439–41.
• Boreyko JB, Chen C-H. Restoring superhydrophobicity of lotus leaves with vibration-induced dewetting. Physical review letters. 2009 Oct;103(17):174502.
• Boreyko JB, Chen C-H. Self-propelled dropwise condensate on superhydrophobic surfaces. Physical review letters. 2009 Oct;103(18):184501.
• Santiago JG, Chen C-H. Special issue on fundamental principles and techniques in microfluidics. Lab on a chip. 2009 Sep;9(17):2423–4.
• Chen CH, Cai Q, Chen CL. Evaporation and condensation on two-tier superhydrophobic surfaces. 2008 Proceedings of the ASME Micro/Nanoscale Heat Transfer International Conference, MNHT 2008. 2008 Aug 20;PART B:1021–2.
• Chen CH, Cai Q, Tsai C, Chen CL, Xiong G, Yu Y, et al. Dropwise condensation on superhydrophobic surfaces with two-tier roughness. Applied Physics Letters. 2007 May 21;90(17).
• Chen CH, Seville DA, Aksay IA. Scaling laws for pulsed electrohydrodynamic drop formation. Applied Physics Letters. 2006 Sep 29;89(12).
• Chen CH, Saville DA, Aksay IA. Electrohydrodynamic "drop-and-place" particle deployment. Applied Physics Letters. 2006 Apr 10;88(15).
• Chen CH, Lin H, Lele SK, Santiago JG. Convective and absolute electrokinetic instability with conductivity gradients. Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 2005 Feb 10;524:263–303.
• Matta A, Knio OM, Ghanem RG, Chen CH, Santiago JG, Debusschere B, et al. Computational study of band-crossing reactions. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems. 2004 Apr 1;13(2):310–22.
• Lin H, Storey BD, Oddy MH, Chen CH, Santiago JG. Instability of electrokinetic microchannel flows with conductivity gradients. Physics of Fluids. 2004 Jan 1;16(6):1922–35.
• Chen CH, Lin H, Lele SK, Santiago JG. Electrokinetic microflow instability with conductivity gradients. American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division (Publication) FED. 2003 Jan 1;259:499–501.
• Chen CH, Santiago JG. A planar electroosmotic micropump. Journal of Microelectromechanical Systems. 2002 Dec 1;11(6):672–83.
• Zeng S, Chen CH, Santiago JG, Chen JR, Zare RN, Tripp JA, et al. Electroosmotic flow pumps with polymer frits. Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical. 2002 Feb 28;82(2–3):209–12.
• Chen CH, Santiago JG. Electrokinetic flow instability in high concentration gradient microflows. ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings. 2002 Jan 1;415–8.
• Zeng S, Chen CH, Mikkelsen JC, Santiago JG. Fabrication and characterization of electroosmotic micropumps. Sensors and Actuators, B: Chemical. 2001 Oct 15;79(2–3):107–14.
• Zeng S, Chen CH, Mikkelsen JC, Santiago JG. Fabrication and characterization of electrokinetic micro pumps. Thermomechanical Phenomena in Electronic Systems -Proceedings of the Intersociety Conference. 2000 Jan 1;2:31–6.
• Chen CH, Zeng S, Mikkelsen JC, Santiago JG. Development of a planar electrokinetic micropump. In: ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, Proceedings (IMECE). 2000. p. 523–8.

In The News

• Fungi Physics: How Those Spores Launch Just Right (Jul 27, 2017 | The New York Times)
• Bouncing nano-droplets remove contaminants (Jul 8, 2016 | Digital Journal)