Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets

Abstract Surface design by tailoring topographical features and interface function groups to modulate dynamic or kinetic behaviors of liquid droplets, has been an increasing hotspot due to its broad spectrum of applications in biochemical diagnosis, microfabrication, and energy conversion systems. H...

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Main Authors: Haoting Cai, Wei Tong, Lichuan Wei, Mengjie Song, Yugang Zhao, Kang Li, Hua Zhang, Chun Yang, Ping Cheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024-12-01
Series:Communications Materials
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00726-7
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author Haoting Cai
Wei Tong
Lichuan Wei
Mengjie Song
Yugang Zhao
Kang Li
Hua Zhang
Chun Yang
Ping Cheng
author_facet Haoting Cai
Wei Tong
Lichuan Wei
Mengjie Song
Yugang Zhao
Kang Li
Hua Zhang
Chun Yang
Ping Cheng
author_sort Haoting Cai
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Surface design by tailoring topographical features and interface function groups to modulate dynamic or kinetic behaviors of liquid droplets, has been an increasing hotspot due to its broad spectrum of applications in biochemical diagnosis, microfabrication, and energy conversion systems. Here we report an engineered surface decorated by packed nanosized caltrops resulting from two perfectly articulated oxidation processes, where self-assembled nanoislands generated in the 1st plasma oxidation serve as protective masks in the 2nd chemical oxidation. As caltrops per design can effectively block lateral motion, the present surface can anchor contact lines of advancing water films when being hydrophilic and selectively capture impinging droplets when being hydrophobic. Furthermore, biphilic patterns can be readily obtained by integrating nanocaltrops with other surface asperities, engendering directional droplet maneuvering and designated droplet arraying. This work provides guidelines in designing nanostructures that achieve on-demand manipulation of droplets and flow patterns for multifunctional applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-bba813cafa4c484ea341427c76231b30
institution DOAJ
issn 2662-4443
language English
publishDate 2024-12-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
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series Communications Materials
spelling doaj-art-bba813cafa4c484ea341427c76231b302025-08-20T02:39:39ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Materials2662-44432024-12-015111110.1038/s43246-024-00726-7Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water dropletsHaoting Cai0Wei Tong1Lichuan Wei2Mengjie Song3Yugang Zhao4Kang Li5Hua Zhang6Chun Yang7Ping Cheng8Shanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer in Power Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyShenzhen Envicool Technology Co. Ltd.Shenzhen Envicool Technology Co. Ltd.Department of Energy and Power Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Beijing Institute of TechnologyShanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer in Power Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyShanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer in Power Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologyShanghai Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer in Power Engineering, School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and TechnologySchool of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological UniversityMOE Key Laboratory of Power Machinery and Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiaotong UniversityAbstract Surface design by tailoring topographical features and interface function groups to modulate dynamic or kinetic behaviors of liquid droplets, has been an increasing hotspot due to its broad spectrum of applications in biochemical diagnosis, microfabrication, and energy conversion systems. Here we report an engineered surface decorated by packed nanosized caltrops resulting from two perfectly articulated oxidation processes, where self-assembled nanoislands generated in the 1st plasma oxidation serve as protective masks in the 2nd chemical oxidation. As caltrops per design can effectively block lateral motion, the present surface can anchor contact lines of advancing water films when being hydrophilic and selectively capture impinging droplets when being hydrophobic. Furthermore, biphilic patterns can be readily obtained by integrating nanocaltrops with other surface asperities, engendering directional droplet maneuvering and designated droplet arraying. This work provides guidelines in designing nanostructures that achieve on-demand manipulation of droplets and flow patterns for multifunctional applications.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00726-7
spellingShingle Haoting Cai
Wei Tong
Lichuan Wei
Mengjie Song
Yugang Zhao
Kang Li
Hua Zhang
Chun Yang
Ping Cheng
Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
Communications Materials
title Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
title_full Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
title_fullStr Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
title_full_unstemmed Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
title_short Nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
title_sort nanosized caltrops enable selective capture and directional maneuvering of water droplets
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s43246-024-00726-7
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