Key Laboratory of E&M (Zhejiang University of Technology), Ministry of Education & Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310014, China.
Soft Matter. 2017 Apr 19;13(16):2995-3002. doi: 10.1039/c6sm02864k.
Highly adherent wettability patterns on the substrate-independent superhydrophobic surfaces of trimethoxyoctadecylsilane modified titanium dioxide (TiO)-based coatings were prepared by using commercial photolithography. Three custom unidirectional channels with gradient wettability patterns were obtained by spatially selective wettability conversion from superhydrophobic to superhydrophilic when the coatings were exposed to ultraviolet light (∼365 nm). The movement behavior of droplets on these unidirectional channels was studied and the displacement of droplet movement was effectively controlled. Integrating the idea of gradient wettability patterns into planar microfluidic devices (microreactors), a self-driven fluid transport was achieved to realize droplet metering, merging or reaction, and rapid transport. This self-driven fluid transport with gradient wettability patterns has great potential in fabricating a new category of pump-free microfluidic systems that can be used in various conditions.
通过商业光刻技术，在三烷氧基辛基硅烷改性的二氧化钛（TiO）基涂层的基底独立的超疏水表面上制备了具有高附着力的润湿性图案。当涂层暴露于紫外光（约 365nm）时，通过从超疏水到超亲水的空间选择性润湿性转换，获得了三个具有梯度润湿性图案的定制单向通道。研究了液滴在这些单向通道上的运动行为，并有效控制了液滴运动的位移。将梯度润湿性图案的思想集成到平面微流控器件（微反应器）中，实现了自驱动的流体传输，以实现液滴计量、合并或反应以及快速传输。这种具有梯度润湿性图案的自驱动流体传输在制造新型无泵微流控系统方面具有巨大的潜力，可用于各种条件。
