Electroosmotic pump

Abstract

Provided is a novel electroosmotic pump capable of being driven by AC voltage. An electroosmotic pump ( 2 ) includes a porous dielectric membrane ( 21 ), a first water-permeable electrode ( 22 ), and a second water-permeable electrode ( 23 ). The first water-permeable electrode ( 22 ) is disposed on one side of the porous dielectric membrane ( 21 ). The second water-permeable electrode ( 23 ) is disposed on the other side of the porous dielectric membrane ( 21 ). A principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane ( 21 ) close to the first water-permeable electrode ( 22 ) and a principal surface thereof close to the second water-permeable electrode ( 23 ) have mutually different hydrophilicities.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An electroosmotic pump comprising:
 a porous dielectric membrane;   a first water-permeable electrode disposed on one side of the porous dielectric membrane; and   a second water-permeable electrode disposed on the other side of the porous dielectric membrane,   wherein the porous dielectric membrane includes a first porous dielectric membrane and a second porous dielectric membrane which are stacked on each other,   a first principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane is formed by the first porous dielectric membrane,   a second principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane is formed by the second porous dielectric membrane, and   the first principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane and the second principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane have mutually different zeta potentials or mutually different streaming potentials.   
     
     
         14 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , further comprising a power source operable to apply an AC voltage between the first water-permeable electrode and the second water-permeable electrode, wherein the power source is configured to apply an AC voltage with a frequency of 1 MHz or less. 
     
     
         15 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein the porous dielectric membrane has a thickness in a range of 5 μm to 100 μm. 
     
     
         16 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein a ratio of the area of the water-permeable electrode to the square of the thickness of the porous dielectric membrane ((the area of the water-permeable electrode)/(the thickness of the porous dielectric membrane) 2 ) is more than 100. 
     
     
         17 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein the porous dielectric membrane has an average pore diameter in a range of 10 nm to 50 μm. 
     
     
         18 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein each of the first and second water-permeable electrodes has a through hole passing through the water-permeable electrode in a thickness direction thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein the porous dielectric membrane has a through hole passing through the porous dielectric membrane in a thickness direction thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The electroosmotic pump according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the first principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane close to the first water-permeable electrode has a higher hydrophilicity than the second principal surface of the porous dielectric membrane close to the second water-permeable electrode, and   the first water-permeable electrode includes a hydrophilic layer as a surface layer on the side opposite to the porous dielectric membrane.