Issue 14, 2021

Bio-inspired semi-infused adaptive surface with reconfigurable topography for on-demand droplet manipulation

Abstract

On-demand manipulation of droplets on surfaces plays an important role for many applications but the fabrication of a platform capable of efficient stimuli-free pinning on any tilted surfaces without any external forces and precise motion of droplets at different states is still challenging. Herein we report a novel magnetoresponsive semi-infused adaptive surface for droplet manipulations. The responsive surface is made by semi-infusing a magnetic-responsive lubricant into a porous substrate. The topography of the surface can be reversibly switched between semi-infused and oil-accumulated states by the availability of an external magnetic field. The switching can turn droplets from a Cassiel state to a Wenzel state and the systems allow for stimuli-free pinning of droplets in a tilted state and on-demand motion of liquid droplets. This platform may have potential in the design of smart material interfaces, microfluidic devices, and chemical reactors.

Graphical abstract: Bio-inspired semi-infused adaptive surface with reconfigurable topography for on-demand droplet manipulation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
12 mar 2021
Accepted
21 apr 2021
First published
27 apr 2021

Mater. Chem. Front., 2021,5, 5382-5389

Bio-inspired semi-infused adaptive surface with reconfigurable topography for on-demand droplet manipulation

X. Xiong, L. Xue, L. Yang, S. Dong and J. Cui, Mater. Chem. Front., 2021, 5, 5382 DOI: 10.1039/D1QM00399B

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