Directional transport of water droplets on superhydrophobic aluminium alloy surface. (1st July 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yang, Xiaolong; Liu, Xin; Li, Juan; Huang, Shuai; Song, Jinlong; Xu, Wenji
• Is Part Of: Micro & nano letters. Volume 10:Number 7(2015)
• Page Start: 343
• Page End: 346
• Publication Date: 2015-07-01
• Subjects: drops -- hydrophobicity -- aluminium alloys -- contact angle -- etching -- electrochemistry -- wetting -- photolithography; directional transport -- water droplets -- superhydrophobic aluminium alloy surface -- contact angle -- sliding angle -- electrochemical etching method -- arc path line -- lithography -- anisotropic wettability -- patterned surface -- time 8 month; Nanotechnology -- Periodicals; Nanostructures -- Periodicals; Microtechnology -- Periodicals; 620.5
• DOI: 10.1049/mnl.2014.0635
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1750-0443

Abstract

Abstract : The directional transport of water droplets has great potential applications in biochemical analysis. An aluminium (Al) alloy surface with a contact angle (CA) of 154° and a sliding angle of about 3.5° was prepared by the electrochemical etching method, which is eco‐friendly and economic. An arc path line with a radius of 50 mm and a width of 400 μm was created on the superhydrophobic surface by means of lithography. CAs of water droplets on the lines exhibit anisotropy and 50 μl water droplets could slide exactly along the created line when the substrate was tilted to about 7°. The anisotropic wettability and mechanism of water droplets transport on the surface was investigated. The surface still has great water transport capability after 8 months, indicating that the water transport property of the patterned surface is stable and persistent. This method combines electrochemical etching and lithography; it is universal and economical, and could be used to build patterns on various substrates to realise the directional transport of water droplets.