A MINI REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF SURFACE ROUGHNESS IN MICROFIUIDICS CHANNELS

The effects of surface roughness at low Reynolds numbers are more pronounced and critical in microchannels due to the relative size of roughness to channel dimensions. Surface roughness in microfluidic channels originates from the machining process during fabrication. This review examines how surface roughness, resulting from various manufacturing processes, influences the performance of microfluidic devices. Different patterns of surface roughness generated through techniques such as photolithography, etching, precision machining, and 3D printing are highlighted. These techniques yield distinct surface characteristics that affect critical microchannel properties, including fluid flow, pressure drop, and stress distribution. In addition to that, specific fabrication methods can minimize surface roughness, enhancing the performance of microchannels for applications in diagnostics, lab-on-a-chip systems, and small-scale heat exchangers are addressed. The review provides insights into selecting optimal fabrication techniques to achieve desired performance characteristics in microfluidic devices.