Self-propelled droplet transport on shaped-liquid surfaces

Gaby Launay, Muhammad Subkhi Sadullah, Glen McHale, Rodrigo Ledesma-Aguilar, Halim Kusumaatmaja, Gary G. Wells

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

35 Scopus citations

Abstract

The transport of small amounts of liquids on solid surfaces is fundamental for microfluidics applications. Technologies allowing control of droplets of liquid on flat surfaces generally involve the generation of a wettability contrast. This approach is however limited by the resistance to motion caused by the direct contact between the droplet and the solid. We show here that this resistance can be drastically reduced by preventing direct contact with the help of dual-length scale micro-structures and the concept of “liquid-surfaces”. These new surfaces allow the gentle transport of droplets along defined paths and with fine control of their speed. Moreover, their high adhesion permits the capture of impacting droplets, opening new possibilities in applications such as fog harvesting and heat transfer.
Original languageEnglish (US)
JournalScientific Reports
Volume10
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2020
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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