Additively Manufactured Microchannels: Microfluidics and Microscale Thermal Management

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "A:Physics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2026 | Viewed by 636

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Parma, Parco Area delle Scienze 181/A, 43124 Parma, Italy
Interests: microfluidics; fluid flow; heat transfer; micro thermal devices; microfabrication techniques
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Additive manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a transformative approach in the fabrication of micro heat transfer devices, offering significant advantages over conventional manufacturing methods. The component is constructed layer by layer from the selected material, enabling highly efficient use of raw materials and minimizing waste.

Several AM techniques are applicable to the fabrication of micro heat transfer devices, which support the use of both metallic and polymeric materials, offering flexibility in design and performance optimization.

A notable advantage of AM is its ability to fabricate entire devices as monolithic structures, eliminating the need for assembling separate components and reducing potential failure points such as leaks at joints or interfaces. Furthermore, AM facilitates the direct production of geometrically complex structures often unattainable through traditional subtractive or formative techniques.

This Special Issue aims to present original research articles, short communications, and comprehensive reviews that explore the thermohydraulic performance of innovative microchannel geometries fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques. We also welcome contributions highlighting recent advancements in AM processes specifically tailored for the design and fabrication of microchannels.

Dr. Pamela Vocale
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • additive manufacturing
  • microchannel geometry optimization
  • innovative microchannel geometries
  • microscale thermal management
  • heat transfer enhancement
  • microfluidics

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

19 pages, 7095 KB  
Review
Experimental Research Progress on Gas–Liquid Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics in Micro Pulsating Heat Pipes
by Jun Chen, Hao Tian, Wanli Xu, Huangdong Guo, Chao Wang, Jincheng Gu and Yichao Cao
Micromachines 2026, 17(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17010037 - 29 Dec 2025
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Abstract
As the power density of microelectronic devices and components continues to increase, thermal management has become a critical bottleneck limiting their performance and reliability. With its advantages of effective heat dissipation, no need for external power, and good safety, the micro pulsating heat [...] Read more.
As the power density of microelectronic devices and components continues to increase, thermal management has become a critical bottleneck limiting their performance and reliability. With its advantages of effective heat dissipation, no need for external power, and good safety, the micro pulsating heat pipe (MPHP) exhibits unique application advantages and enormous development potential when compared to other cutting-edge thermal management solutions, such as embedded microchannel cooling technology, which has complicated manufacturing processes and is prone to leakage, or thermoelectric material cooling technology, which is limited by material efficiency and self-heating. However, a pulsating heat pipe (PHP) is vulnerable to the combined impacts of several elements (scale effects, wall effects, and interfacial effects) at the micro-scale, which can lead to highly variable heat transfer characteristics and complex two-phase flow behavior. There are still few thorough experimental reviews on this subject, despite the fact that many researchers have concentrated on the MPHP and carried out in-depth experimental investigations on their flow and heat transmission mechanisms. In order to provide strong theoretical support for optimizing the design of the MPHP cooling devices, this paper reviews previous experimental research on the MPHP with the goal of thoroughly clarifying the mechanisms of gas–liquid two-phase flow and heat/mass transfer within them. The definition of MPHP is first explained, along with its internal energy transmission principles and structural features. The motion states of gas–liquid two-phase working fluids in the MPHP from previous experimental investigations are then thoroughly examined, highlighting their distinctive flow patterns and evolution mechanisms. Lastly, the variations in thermal performance between different kinds of MPHPs are examined, along with the factors that affect them. Full article
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