Droplet Self-Propulsion on Slippery Liquid-Infused Surfaces with Dual Lubricant Wedge-Shaped Wettability Patterns

Young’s equation is fundamental to the concept of the wettability of a solid surface. It defines the contact angle for a droplet on a solid surface through a local equilibrium at the three-phase contact line. Recently, the concept of a liquid Young’s law contact angle has been developed to describe the wettability of slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) by droplets of an immiscible liquid. In this work, we present a new method to fabricate biphilic SLIP surfaces and show how the wettability of the composite SLIPS can be exploited with a macroscopic wedge-shaped pattern of two distinct lubricant liquids. In particular, we report the development of composite liquid surfaces on silicon substrates based on lithographically patterning a Teflon AF1600 coating and a superhydrophobic coating (Glaco Mirror Coat Zero), where the latter selectively dewets from the former. This creates a patterned base surface with preferential wetting to matched liquids: the fluoropolymer PTFE with a perfluorinated oil Krytox and the hydrophobic silica-based GLACO with olive oil (or other mineral oils or silicone oil). This allows us to successively imbibe our patterned solid substrates with two distinct oils and produce a composite liquid lubricant surface with the oils segregated as thin films into separate domains defined by the patterning. We illustrate that macroscopic wedge-shaped patterned SLIP surfaces enable low-friction droplet self-propulsion. Finally, we formulate an analytical model that captures the dependence of the droplet motion as a function of the wettability of the two liquid lubricant domains and the opening angle of the wedge. This allows us to derive scaling relationships between various physical and geometrical parameters. This work introduces a new approach to creating patterned liquid lubricant surfaces, demonstrates long-distance droplet self-propulsion on such surfaces, and sheds light on the interactions between liquid droplets and liquid surfaces

Evaporation of Sessile Droplets on Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS)

Over the past decade, the most common approach to creating liquid shedding surfaces has been to amplify the effects of nonwetting surface chemistry, using micro/nanotexturing to create superhydrophobic and superoleophobic surfaces. Recently, an alternative approach using impregnation of micro/nanotextured surfaces with immiscible lubricating liquids to create slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) has been developed. These types of surfaces open up new opportunities to study the mechanism of evaporation of sessile droplets in zero contact angle hysteresis situations where the contact line is completely mobile. In this study, we fabricated surfaces consisting of square pillars (10–90 μm) of SU-8 photoresist arranged in square lattice patterns with the center-to-center separation between pillars of 100 μm, on which a hydrophobic coating was deposited and the textures impregnated by a lubricating silicone oil. These surfaces showed generally low sliding angles of 1° or less for small droplets of water. Droplet profiles were more complicated than on nonimpregnated surfaces and displayed a spherical cap shape modified by a wetting ridge close to the contact line due to balancing the interfacial forces at the line of contact between the droplet, the lubricant liquid and air (represented by a Neumann triangle). The wetting ridge leads to the concept of a wetting “skirt” of lubricant around the base of the droplet. For the SLIP surfaces, we found that the evaporation of small sessile droplets (∼2 mm in diameter) followed an ideal constant contact angle mode where the apparent contact angle was defined from the intersection of the substrate profile with the droplet spherical cap profile. A theoretical model based on diffusion controlled evaporation was able to predict a linear dependence in time for the square of the apparent contact radius. The experimental data was in excellent quantitative agreement with the theory and enabled estimates of the diffusion constant to be obtained

Near axisymmetric partial wetting using interface-localized liquid dielectrophoresis

The wetting of solid surfaces can be modified by altering the surface free energy balance between the solid, liquid, and vapour phases. Liquid dielectrophoresis (L-DEP) can produce wetting on normally non-wetting surfaces, without modification of the surface topography or chemistry. L-DEP is a bulk force acting on the dipoles of a dielectric liquid and is not normally considered to be a localized effect acting at the interface between the liquid and a solid or other fluid. However, if this force is induced by a non-uniform electric field across a solid -liquid interface, it can be used to enhance and control the wetting of a dielectric liquid. Recently, it was reported theoretically and experimentally that this approach can cause a droplet of oil to spread along parallel interdigitated electrodes thus forming a stripe of liquid. Here we show that by using spiral shaped electrodes actuated with four 90º successive phase shifted signals, a near axisymmetric spreading of droplets can be achieved. Experimental observations show that the induced wetting can achieve film formation, an effect not possible with electrowetting. We show that the spreading is reversible thus enabling a wide range of partial wetting droplet states to be achieved in a controllable manner. Furthermore, we find that the cosine of the contact angle has a quadratic dependence on applied voltage during spreading and deduce a scaling law for the dependence of the strength of the effect on the electrode size

Planar selective Leidenfrost propulsion without physically structured substrates or walls

The Leidenfrost effect allows droplets to be transported on a virtually frictionless layer of vapor above a superheated substrate. The substrates are normally topographically structured using subtractive techniques to produce saw-tooth, herringbone, and other patterns and bulk heated, leading to significant challenges in energy consumption and controlled operation. Here, we propose a planar lithographic approach to levitate and propel droplets using temperature profiles, which can be spatially patterned and controlled in time. We show that micro-patterned electrodes can be heated and provide control of the pressure profile and the vapor flow. Using these almost featureless planar substrates, we achieve self-directed motion of droplets, with velocities of approximately 30 mms−1, without topographically structuring the substrate or introducing physical walls. Our approach has the potential to be integrated into applications, such as digital microfluidics, where frictionless and contactless droplet transport may be advantageous

Transforming Auxetic Metamaterials into Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Superhydrophobic materials are often inspired by nature, whereas metamaterials are engineered to have properties not usually occurring naturally. In both, the key to their unique properties is structure. Here, it is shown that a negative Poisson's ratio (auxetic) mechanical metamaterial can transform into a unique superhydrophobic material. When stretched, its surface has the counterintuitive property that it also expands in the orthogonal lateral direction. The change in the solid surface fraction as strain is applied is modeled, and it is shown that it decreases as the space between solid elements of the auxetic lattice expands. This results in a unique dependence of the superhydrophobicity on strain. Experimental models are constructed to illustrate the relationship between different states of strain and superhydrophobicity as the lattice transitions from an auxetic to a conventional structure. The findings offer a new approach to designing superhydrophobic materials for self‐cleaning surfaces, droplet transportation, droplet encapsulation, and oil–water separation

Assessing nonresponse bias at follow-up in a large prospective cohort of relatively young and mobile military service members

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nonresponse bias in a longitudinal study could affect the magnitude and direction of measures of association. We identified sociodemographic, behavioral, military, and health-related predictors of response to the first follow-up questionnaire in a large military cohort and assessed the extent to which nonresponse biased measures of association.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data are from the baseline and first follow-up survey of the Millennium Cohort Study. Seventy-six thousand, seven hundred and seventy-five eligible individuals completed the baseline survey and were presumed alive at the time of follow-up; of these, 54,960 (71.6%) completed the first follow-up survey. Logistic regression models were used to calculate inverse probability weights using propensity scores.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Characteristics associated with a greater probability of response included female gender, older age, higher education level, officer rank, active-duty status, and a self-reported history of military exposures. Ever smokers, those with a history of chronic alcohol consumption or a major depressive disorder, and those separated from the military at follow-up had a lower probability of response. Nonresponse to the follow-up questionnaire did not result in appreciable bias; bias was greatest in subgroups with small numbers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings suggest that prospective analyses from this cohort are not substantially biased by non-response at the first follow-up assessment.</p