Paper‐Based Surfaces with Extreme Wettabilities for Novel,Open‐Channel Microfluidic Devices |
| |
| Authors: | Chao Li Mathew Boban Sarah A. Snyder Sai P. R. Kobaku Gibum Kwon Geeta Mehta Anish Tuteja |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;2. Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;3. Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;4. Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA;5. Biointerfaces Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA |
| |
| Abstract: | 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. |
| |
| Keywords: | microfluidics omniphobic surfaces superhydrophobic/philic surfaces surface modification |
|
|
