Paper-Based Surfaces with Extreme Wettabilities for Novel, Open-Channel Microfluidic Devices

In this work, a facile methodology is discussed, involving fluoro‐silanization followed by oxygen plasma etching, for the fabrication of surfaces with extreme wettabilities, i.e., surfaces that display all four possible combinations of wettabilities with water and different oils: hydrophobic–oleophi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Advanced functional materials 2016-09, Vol.26 (33), p.6121-6131
Main Authors: Li, Chao, Boban, Mathew, Snyder, Sarah A., Kobaku, Sai P. R., Kwon, Gibum, Mehta, Geeta, Tuteja, Anish
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Devices
Liquid-liquid extraction
Liquids
Localization
Microfluidics
omniphobic surfaces
superhydrophobic/philic surfaces
surface modification
Transport
Utilities
Wettability
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Summary:In this work, a facile methodology is discussed, involving fluoro‐silanization followed by oxygen plasma etching, for the fabrication of surfaces with extreme wettabilities, i.e., surfaces that display all four possible combinations of wettabilities with water and different oils: hydrophobic–oleophilic, hydrophilic–oleophobic, omniphobic, and omniphilic. Open‐channel, paper‐based microfluidic devices fabricated using these surfaces with extreme wettabilities allow for the localization, manipulation, and transport of virtually all high‐ and low‐surface tension liquids. This in turn expands the utility of paper‐based microfluidic devices to a range of applications never before considered. These include, as demonstrated here, continuous oil–water separation, liquid–liquid extraction, open‐channel microfluidic emulsification, microparticle fabrication, and precise measurement of mixtures' composition. Finally, the biocompatibility of the developed microfluidic devices and their utility for cell patterning are demonstrated. A facile methodology for the fabrication of surfaces with extreme wettabilities is discussed. Open‐channel, paper‐based microfluidic devices fabricated using these surfaces with extreme wettabilities allow for the localization, manipulation, and transport of virtually all high‐ and low‐surface‐tension liquids. This advance enables novel applications never before considered in open‐channel microfluidics, including oil–water separation, liquid–liquid extraction, and microfluidic emulsification.
ISSN:1616-301X
1616-3028
DOI:10.1002/adfm.201601821