Parametric analysis of acoustically levitated droplet for potential microgravity application

Abstract

Acoustic levitation is a versatile technique for the non-contact handling of both solid and liquid samples, yet its potential remains underutilized in container-less processing and lab-on-a-drop application. This study demonstrates the efficient use of acoustically levitated droplets as microgravity simulators on earth similar to clinostat. Using a simple and affordable non-resonant single-axis acoustic levitator called TinyLev, we first investigate the impact of applied voltage and droplet volume on the shape and rotational motion of levitated water droplets. Furthermore, we examine the rotational motion of suspended microparticles within the droplets. Our findings reveal the feasibility of using the levitated droplets as a miniaturized microgravity simulators on earth.