Path-programmable water droplet manipulations on an adhesion controlled superhydrophobic surface.

ABSTRACT: Here, we developed a novel and facile method to control the local water adhesion force of a thin and stretchable superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate with micro-pillar arrays that allows the individual manipulation of droplet motions including moving, merging and mixing. When a vacuum pressure was applied below the PDMS substrate, a local dimple structure was formed and the water adhesion force of structure was significantly changed owing to the dynamically varied pillar density. With the help of the lowered water adhesion force and the slope angle of the formed dimple structure, the motion of individual water droplets could be precisely controlled, which facilitated the creation of a droplet-based microfluidic platform capable of a programmable manipulation of droplets.

SUBMITTER: Seo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4511949 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature