Indexed by:Journal Papers

Date of Publication:2015-07-01

Journal:MICRO & NANO LETTERS

Included Journals:SCIE、EI、Scopus

Volume:10

Issue:7

Page Number:343-346

ISSN No.:1750-0443

Key Words: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

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 degrees and a sliding angle of about 3.5 degrees 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 m was created on the superhydrophobic surface by means of lithography. CAs of water droplets on the lines exhibit anisotropy and 50 l water droplets could slide exactly along the created line when the substrate was tilted to about 7 degrees. 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.