Nanoarchitectural Evolution from Laser-Produced Colloidal Solution: Growth of Various Complex Cadmium Hydroxide Architectures from Simple Particles

Complex nanostructures and nanoassemblies have exhibited their potential application in the fabrication of future molecular machines and molecular devices. Liquid phase pulsed laser ablation (LP-PLA) is an easy, versatile, environmentally friendly, and rapidly growing method for the synthesis of nanostructured materials. Several experimental laser and liquid media parameters have been developed, but others are under development. The interaction of an anionic surfactant with the nanomaterials having a positive surface charge density is a key parameter, but an unanswered question until now, in the field of LP-PLA. Nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of a cadmium rod placed on the bottom of a glass vessel containing aqueous media of sodium dodecyl sulfate at different concentrations is used to produce a variety of cadmium hydroxide nanostructures from nanoparticles to nanorods, nanotetrapods, nanoflower buds, and 2D and 3D nanoflowers in order to investigate the above liquid media parameter. It is suggested that initially produced spherical nanoparticles get self-assembled into 1D nanorods, which themselves also get assembled into their successor nanoarchitectures. An aqueous medium of 20 mM SDS is found most suitable for the growth of such nanostructures. An increase of the surfactant concentration induces the synthesis of higher aspect ratio 1D nanorods with a larger tendency of aggregation and agglomeration. The rate of increase of agglomeration and aggregation with the surfactant concentration is so high that the nanomaterials produced in 100 mM surfactant concentration lose their individual identity. A detailed investigation on the evolution, growth, and self-assembly of various nanostructures is presented

Substrate-Independent, Fast, and Reversible Switching between Underwater Superaerophobicity and Aerophilicity on the Femtosecond Laser-Induced Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Selectively Repelling or Capturing Bubbles in Water

In this paper, the reversible switching between underwater (super-) aerophilicity and superaerophobicity was achieved on various femtosecond (fs) laser-induced superhydrophobic surfaces. A range of materials including Al, stainless steel, Cu, Ni, Si, poly­(tetrafluoroethylene), and polydimethylsiloxane were first transformed to superhydrophobic after the formation of surface microstructures through fs laser treatment. These surfaces showed (super-) aerophilicity when immersed in water. In contrast, if the surface was prewetted with ethanol and then dipped into water, the surfaces showed superaerophobicity in water. The underwater aerophilicity of the superhydrophobic substrates could easily recover by drying. The switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity can be fast repeated many cycles and is substrate-independent in stark contrast to common wettability-switchable surfaces based on stimuli-responsive chemistry. Therefore, the as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces can capture or repel air bubbles in water by selectively switching between underwater superaerophobicity and aerophilicity. Finally, we demonstrated that the underwater bubbles could pass through an underwater aerophilic porous sheet but were intercepted by an underwater superaerophobic porous sheet. The selective passage of the underwater bubbles was achieved by the reversible switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity. We believe that this substrate-independent and fast method of switching air wettability has important applications in controlling air behavior in water

How To Obtain Six Different Superwettabilities on a Same Microstructured Pattern: Relationship between Various Superwettabilities in Different Solid/Liquid/Gas Systems

A range of different superwettabilities were obtained on femtosecond laser-structured Al surfaces. The formation mechanism of each superwetting state is discussed in this paper. It is revealed that the underwater oil droplet and bubble wettabilities of a solid surface have a close relationship with its water wettability. The laser-induced hierarchical microstructures showed superhydrophilicity in air but showed superoleophobicity/superaerophobicity after immersion in water. When such microstructures were further modified with a low-surface-energy monolayer, the wettability of the resultant surface would turn to superhydrophobicity with ultralow water adhesion in air and superoleophilicity/superaerophilicity in water. The understanding of the relationship among the above-mentioned six different superwettabilities is highly important in the design of various superwetting microstructures, transforming the structures from one superwetting state to another state and better using the artificial superwetting materials

How To Obtain Six Different Superwettabilities on a Same Microstructured Pattern: Relationship between Various Superwettabilities in Different Solid/Liquid/Gas Systems

A range of different superwettabilities were obtained on femtosecond laser-structured Al surfaces. The formation mechanism of each superwetting state is discussed in this paper. It is revealed that the underwater oil droplet and bubble wettabilities of a solid surface have a close relationship with its water wettability. The laser-induced hierarchical microstructures showed superhydrophilicity in air but showed superoleophobicity/superaerophobicity after immersion in water. When such microstructures were further modified with a low-surface-energy monolayer, the wettability of the resultant surface would turn to superhydrophobicity with ultralow water adhesion in air and superoleophilicity/superaerophilicity in water. The understanding of the relationship among the above-mentioned six different superwettabilities is highly important in the design of various superwetting microstructures, transforming the structures from one superwetting state to another state and better using the artificial superwetting materials

Substrate-Independent, Fast, and Reversible Switching between Underwater Superaerophobicity and Aerophilicity on the Femtosecond Laser-Induced Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Selectively Repelling or Capturing Bubbles in Water

In this paper, the reversible switching between underwater (super-) aerophilicity and superaerophobicity was achieved on various femtosecond (fs) laser-induced superhydrophobic surfaces. A range of materials including Al, stainless steel, Cu, Ni, Si, poly­(tetrafluoroethylene), and polydimethylsiloxane were first transformed to superhydrophobic after the formation of surface microstructures through fs laser treatment. These surfaces showed (super-) aerophilicity when immersed in water. In contrast, if the surface was prewetted with ethanol and then dipped into water, the surfaces showed superaerophobicity in water. The underwater aerophilicity of the superhydrophobic substrates could easily recover by drying. The switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity can be fast repeated many cycles and is substrate-independent in stark contrast to common wettability-switchable surfaces based on stimuli-responsive chemistry. Therefore, the as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces can capture or repel air bubbles in water by selectively switching between underwater superaerophobicity and aerophilicity. Finally, we demonstrated that the underwater bubbles could pass through an underwater aerophilic porous sheet but were intercepted by an underwater superaerophobic porous sheet. The selective passage of the underwater bubbles was achieved by the reversible switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity. We believe that this substrate-independent and fast method of switching air wettability has important applications in controlling air behavior in water

Microfluidic Channels Fabrication Based on Underwater Superpolymphobic Microgrooves Produced by Femtosecond Laser Direct Writing

A strategy is proposed here to fabricate microfluidic channels based on underwater superpolymphobic microgrooves with nanoscale rough surface structure on glass surface produced by femtosecond (fs) laser processing. The fs laser-induced micro/nanostructure on glass surface can repel liquid polydimethyl­siloxane (PDMS) underwater, with the contact angle (CA) of 155.5 ± 2.5° and CA hysteresis of 2.7 ± 1.5° to a liquid PDMS droplet. Such a phenomenon is defined as the underwater “superpolymphobicity”. Microchannels as well as microfluidic systems are easily prepared and formed between the underwater superpolymphobic microgroove-textured glass substrate and the cured PDMS layer. Because the tracks of the laser scanning lines are programmable, arbitrary-shaped microchannels and complex microfluidic systems can be potentially designed and prepared through fs laser direct writing technology. The concept of “underwater superpolymphobicity” presented here offers us a new strategy for selectively avoiding the adhesion at the polymer/substrate interface and controlling the shape of cured polymers; none of these applications can find analogues in previously reported superwetting materials

Microfluidic Channels Fabrication Based on Underwater Superpolymphobic Microgrooves Produced by Femtosecond Laser Direct Writing

A strategy is proposed here to fabricate microfluidic channels based on underwater superpolymphobic microgrooves with nanoscale rough surface structure on glass surface produced by femtosecond (fs) laser processing. The fs laser-induced micro/nanostructure on glass surface can repel liquid polydimethyl­siloxane (PDMS) underwater, with the contact angle (CA) of 155.5 ± 2.5° and CA hysteresis of 2.7 ± 1.5° to a liquid PDMS droplet. Such a phenomenon is defined as the underwater “superpolymphobicity”. Microchannels as well as microfluidic systems are easily prepared and formed between the underwater superpolymphobic microgroove-textured glass substrate and the cured PDMS layer. Because the tracks of the laser scanning lines are programmable, arbitrary-shaped microchannels and complex microfluidic systems can be potentially designed and prepared through fs laser direct writing technology. The concept of “underwater superpolymphobicity” presented here offers us a new strategy for selectively avoiding the adhesion at the polymer/substrate interface and controlling the shape of cured polymers; none of these applications can find analogues in previously reported superwetting materials

Substrate-Independent, Fast, and Reversible Switching between Underwater Superaerophobicity and Aerophilicity on the Femtosecond Laser-Induced Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Selectively Repelling or Capturing Bubbles in Water

In this paper, the reversible switching between underwater (super-) aerophilicity and superaerophobicity was achieved on various femtosecond (fs) laser-induced superhydrophobic surfaces. A range of materials including Al, stainless steel, Cu, Ni, Si, poly­(tetrafluoroethylene), and polydimethylsiloxane were first transformed to superhydrophobic after the formation of surface microstructures through fs laser treatment. These surfaces showed (super-) aerophilicity when immersed in water. In contrast, if the surface was prewetted with ethanol and then dipped into water, the surfaces showed superaerophobicity in water. The underwater aerophilicity of the superhydrophobic substrates could easily recover by drying. The switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity can be fast repeated many cycles and is substrate-independent in stark contrast to common wettability-switchable surfaces based on stimuli-responsive chemistry. Therefore, the as-prepared superhydrophobic surfaces can capture or repel air bubbles in water by selectively switching between underwater superaerophobicity and aerophilicity. Finally, we demonstrated that the underwater bubbles could pass through an underwater aerophilic porous sheet but were intercepted by an underwater superaerophobic porous sheet. The selective passage of the underwater bubbles was achieved by the reversible switching between the underwater aerophilicity and superaerophobicity. We believe that this substrate-independent and fast method of switching air wettability has important applications in controlling air behavior in water

How To Obtain Six Different Superwettabilities on a Same Microstructured Pattern: Relationship between Various Superwettabilities in Different Solid/Liquid/Gas Systems

A range of different superwettabilities were obtained on femtosecond laser-structured Al surfaces. The formation mechanism of each superwetting state is discussed in this paper. It is revealed that the underwater oil droplet and bubble wettabilities of a solid surface have a close relationship with its water wettability. The laser-induced hierarchical microstructures showed superhydrophilicity in air but showed superoleophobicity/superaerophobicity after immersion in water. When such microstructures were further modified with a low-surface-energy monolayer, the wettability of the resultant surface would turn to superhydrophobicity with ultralow water adhesion in air and superoleophilicity/superaerophilicity in water. The understanding of the relationship among the above-mentioned six different superwettabilities is highly important in the design of various superwetting microstructures, transforming the structures from one superwetting state to another state and better using the artificial superwetting materials