Microfluidic Applications

About

Background: This technology relates to methods for patterning surfaces to create regions of variable adhesive force on a single superhydrophobic paper surface. High surface energy sticky regions on a non-sticky superhydrophobic surface allow microliter water drops to adhere at specific locations. This enables transfer of the drops to another patterned substrate without the need for pipettes or other fluid transfer tools. Such surfaces can be used as lab-on-a-chip microfluidic devices in which individual drops can be addressed, transported or mixed with other drops. Also, because these surfaces are made from an inexpensive medium, the surfaces have potential applications in biological fluid testing at low cost.