Fabrication of a Micro-omnifluidic Device by Omniphilic/Omniphobic Patterning on Nanostructured Surfaces

Abstract

We integrate the adhesive properties of marine mussels, the lubricating properties of pitcher plants, and the nonfouling properties of diatoms into nanostructured surfaces to develop a device called a micro-omnifluidic (mu-OF) system to solve the existing challenges in microfluidic systems. Unlike conventional poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based fluidic systems that are incompatible with most organic solvents, the mu-OF system utilizes a variety of solvents such as water, ethanol, dimethyl sulfoxide, dimethylformamide, tetrahydrofuran, n-hexane, 1,2-dichloroethane, acetic acid, 2-propanol, acetone, toluene, diesel oil, dioxane, gasoline oil, hexadecane, and xylene. The mu-OF system is based on a phenomenon called microchannel induction that spontaneously occurs when virtually all droplets of solvents are applied on omniphilically micropatterned regions of a slippery liquid-infused porous surface. Any solvents with surface tension greater than that of the lubricant (17.1 mN/m, Fluorinert FC-70) are able to repel the infused lubricant located on top of the omniphilic microlines, triggering controlled movement of the droplet by gravity along the microlines. We also demonstrated that the mu-OF system is reusable by the nonadsorption properties of the silicified layer. Due to the organic solvent compatibility, we were able to perform organic reactions with high portability and energy efficiency in operation.