Published in

Elsevier, Applied Surface Science, 1(254), p. 330-334

DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2007.07.121

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Silicon nanowire and polyethylene superhydrophobic surfaces for discrete magnetic microfluidics

This paper is available in a repository.
This paper is available in a repository.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Red circle
Postprint: archiving forbidden
Red circle
Published version: archiving forbidden
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

A microfluidic method to manipulate small drops of water is studied on two different superhydrophobic surfaces. Using this digital magnetofluidic method, water drops containing paramagnetic carbonyl-iron microparticles were displaced on silicon nanowire (Si NW) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) superhydrophobic surfaces using magnetic fields. Horizontal, vertical, or upside-down drop movement is made possible by the action of capillary forces induced by paramagnetic particles aligning and following a magnetic field, indicating that three-dimensional digital microfluidics is possible. Also, both Si NW and LDPE superhydrophobic surfaces combine surface chemistry with nano and microscale surface roughness to make drop movement possible. Si NW superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared using vapor–liquid–solid growth systems followed by coating with a perfluorinated hydrocarbon. LDPE superhydrophobic surfaces were prepared by growing polyethylene crystals on a polyethylene substrate through careful rate control.