U.S. patent application number 16/657536 was filed with the patent office on 2020-02-13 for silane based surfaces with extreme wettabilities.
This patent application is currently assigned to THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. The applicant listed for this patent is THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. Invention is credited to Chao LI, Anish TUTEJA.
Application Number | 20200048841 16/657536 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52813755 |
Filed Date | 2020-02-13 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20200048841 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
TUTEJA; Anish ; et
al. |
February 13, 2020 |
SILANE BASED SURFACES WITH EXTREME WETTABILITIES
Abstract
In various aspects, the present disclosure provides porous
materials having extreme wettability to polar or non-polar fluids,
such as water and oil. The porous material has a coated surface
comprising a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane that is treated
to exhibit at least one type of extreme wettability. In certain
aspects, the disclosure provides a porous material comprising a
coated surface that is both superhydrophobic and oleophilic, or
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic, or superhydrophilic and
oleophobic, by way of example. Methods of forming a porous surface
having a predetermined wettability are also provided. Other
embodiments include fluidic devices that incorporate porous
materials having extreme wettabilities, such as microfluidic
devices and separators.
Inventors: |
TUTEJA; Anish; (Ann Arbor,
MI) ; LI; Chao; (Ann Arbor, MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN |
Ann Arbor |
MI |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF
MICHIGAN
Ann Arbor
MI
|
Family ID: |
52813755 |
Appl. No.: |
16/657536 |
Filed: |
October 18, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
15027995 |
Apr 7, 2016 |
10472769 |
|
|
PCT/US2014/060162 |
Oct 10, 2014 |
|
|
|
16657536 |
|
|
|
|
61889165 |
Oct 10, 2013 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21H 17/13 20130101;
D21H 19/10 20130101; D21H 17/11 20130101; D21H 21/16 20130101; C09D
5/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
D21H 19/10 20060101
D21H019/10; D21H 17/13 20060101 D21H017/13; D21H 21/16 20060101
D21H021/16; D21H 17/11 20060101 D21H017/11; C09D 5/00 20060101
C09D005/00 |
Claims
1. A porous material having a coated surface that is both
superhydrophobic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and
superoleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for a
preselected oil, wherein the coated surface consists essentially of
a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of
less than or equal to about 25 mN/m reacted with hydroxyl groups on
the porous material.
2. The porous material of claim 1, wherein the coated surface
further comprises a polymeric layer comprising the hydroxyl groups
disposed on the porous material beneath the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane.
3. The porous material of claim 1, wherein the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane has a surface tension of less than or equal to
about 10 mN/m.
4. The porous material of claim 1, wherein the coated surface has a
ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal to about
2.
5. The porous material of claim 1, wherein greater than or equal to
about 60% of the hydroxyl groups on the porous material are reacted
with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
6. The porous material of claim 1, wherein the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane is selected from a group consisting of:
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof.
7. A microfluidic device comprising: a porous material comprising a
surface comprising: (i) a first surface region that comprises a
coating that is superhydrophobic, having a first apparent advancing
dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree.
for water and superoleophobic, having a second apparent advancing
dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree.
for a preselected oil; and (ii) a second surface region that is
hydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for water and
oleophilic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected
oil, wherein the second surface region is capable of receiving,
transferring, and/or storing a fluid, and wherein the (i) first
surface region and (ii) the second surface region together define
at least one microscale fluidic pathway for the fluid on the
surface of the porous material.
8. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein at least one
microscale fluidic pathway has at least one dimension that is less
than or equal to about 1,000 .mu.m.
9. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the coating of the
first surface region comprises a low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane having a surface tension of less than or equal to about 25
mN/m.
10. The microfluidic device of claim 9, wherein the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane is selected from a group consisting of:
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof.
11. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the coating of the
first surface region comprises a low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane having a surface tension of less than or equal to about 10
mN/m.
12. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the coating of the
first surface region consists essentially of a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less than or equal
to about 25 mN/m.
13. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the coating of the
first surface region has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater
than or equal to about 2.
14. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the surface of the
porous material comprises hydroxyl groups.
15. The microfluidic device of claim 14, wherein greater than or
equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl groups on the porous material
are reacted with a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
16. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the porous material
comprises paper or cellulose.
17. The microfluidic device of claim 7, wherein the fluid is
selected from a group consisting of: a polar liquid, a non-polar
liquid, and combinations thereof.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 15/027,995 filed on Apr. 7, 2016 which is a 371 National
Phase of PCT/US2014/060162 filed Oct. 10, 2014 which claims the
benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/889,165, filed on
Oct. 10, 2013. The entire disclosures of the above applications are
incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to porous substrate materials
having extreme wettabilities and more specifically to silane-based
surfaces having predetermined extreme wettabilities, devices
incorporating such silane-based surfaces having extreme
wettabilities, and methods for making such silane-based surfaces
having extreme wettabilities.
BACKGROUND
[0003] This section provides background information related to the
present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
[0004] Surfaces and materials with extreme repellency or attraction
to liquids are of significant interest for a wide variety of
military, commercial, and specialty applications. By way of
non-limiting example, extreme repellency surfaces include those
that are self-cleaning and non-fouling, including stain-free
clothing and spill-resistant protective wear. Such extreme
repellency surfaces may also be used for drag reduction,
microfluidics, locomotion of micro-robots on aqueous and chemical
environments, and for providing icephobicity. The primary measure
of wetting of a liquid on a non-textured (or smooth) surface is the
equilibrium contact angle .theta. (given by Young's relation).
Non-textured surfaces that display contact angles .theta. greater
than 90.degree. with water are considered hydrophobic, while
non-textured surfaces that display contact angles .theta. less than
90.degree. with water are considered hydrophilic. Typically,
surfaces with high surface energy tend to be hydrophilic, whereas
those with low surface energy tend to be hydrophobic.
[0005] Relatively recently, a newer classification has emerged,
known as a "superhydrophobic." Superhydrophobic surfaces display
contact angles .theta. greater than 150.degree. along with a low
contact angle hysteresis (the difference between the advancing and
the receding contact angles) for water. Water droplets can easily
roll-off from and bounce on such surfaces. Known superhydrophobic
surfaces are textured (or rough), as the maximum water contact
angle .theta. measured to date on a smooth surface is believed to
be only about 130.degree.. Superhydrophobic surfaces are pervasive
in nature with various plant leaves, legs of the water strider,
gecko's feet, troughs on the elytra of desert beetles, and insect
wings displaying extreme water-repellency. Some synthetic or
artificial engineered superhydrophobic surfaces have also been
developed. These superhydrophobic surfaces tend to be quite
difficult to reliably create, require complex processing and
customized materials, and therefore have been quite expensive.
[0006] Surfaces that repel low surface tension liquids such as
different oils are called superoleophobic. Most superoleophobic
surfaces are also superhydrophobic, because surfaces that can repel
low surface tension liquids (such as oils and alcohols) can much
more easily repel water, which possesses a higher surface tension.
However, there are a few superoleophobic surfaces that are at least
partially wet by polar liquids such as water and alcohols. In view
of such counter-intuitive surfaces, surfaces that can display both
superhydrophobicity and superoleophobicity (e.g., as "omniphobic"
surfaces) would be highly desirable. Similarly, an ability to
create surfaces that exhibit other extreme wettabilities, such as
surfaces that are both superhydrophilic (e.g., displaying contact
angles .theta. of less than 5.degree. for water) and
superoleophobic or superhydrophobic and superoleophilic (e.g.,
displaying contact angles .theta. of less than 5.degree. for oil)
would also be highly desirable. There remains a need for improved,
streamlined, cost-effective processes for forming surfaces having
such extreme wettabilities, which can be used in a vast array of
different technological fields and applications.
SUMMARY
[0007] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure,
and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of
its features.
[0008] In various aspects, the present disclosure provides porous
materials having a coated surface comprising a low surface energy
silane that exhibits extreme wettability. In certain variations,
the disclosure provides a porous material comprising a coated
surface that is both superhydrophobic, having a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for water and oleophilic, having a second apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about
90.degree. for a preselected oil.
[0009] In other variations, the disclosure provides a porous
material having a coated surface that is both superhydrophobic,
having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophobic,
having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil. In
certain variations, the coated surface consists essentially of a
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of
less than or equal to about 25 mN/m. The low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane can be reacted with hydroxyl groups present on
the porous material.
[0010] In yet other aspects, the disclosure provides a porous
material comprising a coated surface that is both superhydrophilic,
having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less
than or equal to about 5.degree. for water and oleophobic, having a
second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or
equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected oil. In certain
variations, the coated surface consists essentially of a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less
than or equal to about 35 mN/m. The low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane can be reacted with hydroxyl groups present on the porous
material.
[0011] In yet other aspects, the present disclosure also provides a
method for forming a surface having a predetermined wettability.
The method comprises reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane having a surface tension of less than or equal to about 35
mN/m with hydroxyl groups present on a surface of a porous
material. The reaction is conducted until greater than or equal to
about 30% of the hydroxyl groups react with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane to form a coated surface having the
predetermined wettability selected from: [0012] (i)
superhydrophobic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and
oleophilic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected
oil; [0013] (ii) superhydrophobic, having a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for water and superoleophilic, having a second apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about
5.degree. for a preselected oil; [0014] (iii) superhydrophobic,
having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophobic,
having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil; [0015]
(iv) superhydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water
and oleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 90.degree. for a
preselected oil; or [0016] (v) superhydrophilic, having a first
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to
about 5.degree. for water and superoleophobic, having a second
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil. In certain variations,
portions of the porous surface or coated surface may be further
subjected to plasma treatment before or after the reacting.
[0017] In other variations, the disclosure provides a fluidic
device that employs porous materials having a coated surface
comprising a low surface energy silane that exhibits extreme
wettability. In certain variations, the fluidic device may be a
microfluidic device that comprises a porous material comprising a
surface comprising: [0018] (i) a first surface region that
comprises a coating that is superhydrophobic, having a first
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophobic, having a second
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil; and [0019] (ii) a
second surface region that is hydrophilic, having a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about
90.degree. for water and oleophilic, having a second apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about
90.degree. for a preselected oil, wherein the second surface region
is capable of receiving, transferring, and/or storing a fluid. The
(i) first surface region and (ii) the second surface region
together define at least one microscale fluidic pathway for the
fluid on the surface of the porous material.
[0020] In other variations, the disclosure provides a fluidic
device that comprises a porous substrate comprising a surface
defining a first surface region that comprises a surface coating
having a first wettability comprising a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane. The porous substrate may optionally be a paper
or a textile. The fluidic device also comprises a second surface
region on the surface having a second wettability that is distinct
from the first wettability. The second surface region is capable of
receiving, transferring, and/or storing a fluid or other material.
The first surface region and the second surface region together
define at least one fluidic pathway for the fluid on the surface of
the porous material.
[0021] In yet other aspects, the present disclosure provides a
separator device for continuously separating a liquid-liquid
mixture. The device comprises a porous separator membrane
comprising a first surface region that comprises a surface coating
having a first wettability comprising a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane and a second surface region on the surface
having a second wettability that is distinct from the first
wettability. The second surface region is capable of receiving,
transferring, and/or storing a first component from the
liquid-liquid mixture. In the device, the liquid-liquid mixture is
fed to the porous separator membrane to continuously separate the
first component from the liquid-liquid mixture.
[0022] In other aspects, a device is provided for biological
applications. The device may comprise a porous substrate comprising
a surface comprising a first surface region that comprises a
surface coating having a first wettability comprising a low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane. The device also has a second surface
region on the surface having a second wettability that is distinct
from the first wettability, where the second surface region on the
surface is capable of interacting or binding with a biological
material.
[0023] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the
description provided herein. The description and specific examples
in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and
are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
DRAWINGS
[0024] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes
only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations,
and are not intended to limit the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 1 shows quadrants of contact angle axes (from 0.degree.
to 180.degree.) quadrants for surfaces having extreme
wettabilities.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows quadrants for contact angles of surfaces as in
FIG. 1, but with insets of photographs of examples prepared in
accordance with certain aspects of the present teachings having
extreme wettabilities within each respective quadrant.
[0027] FIGS. 3A-3B show more examples of porous materials having
surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes having extreme
wettabilities prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the
present teachings. FIG. 3A shows wettability quadrants with
oil-water contact angle axes (from 0.degree. to 180.degree.).
Quadrant I is an omniphobic surface (all-liquid nonwetting);
Quadrant II is a hydrophilic and oleophobic surface (HL/OP, water
wetting, but oil nonwetting) from deep-O.sub.2-plasma-etched (200
W/900 seconds) porous materials having surfaces coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings; Quadrant III, omniphilic
(all-liquid wetting) from middle-O.sub.2-plasma-etched (200 W/60
seconds) porous materials having surfaces coated with low energy
fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of
the present teachings; Quadrant IV (200 W/15 seconds) is a
hydrophobic and oleophobic surface (HP/OL, water nonwetting, but
oil wetting) formed from light-O.sub.2-plasma-etched porous
materials having surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl
silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings. FIG. 3B shows continuous changes of surface wettability
on porous materials having surfaces coated with low energy
fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of
the present teachings by use of 200 W O.sub.2 plasma etching. From
0 seconds to 900 seconds and more, the four extreme wettabilities
can be achieved in sequence (omniphobic, HP/OL, omniphilic and
HL/OP). Water (blue), ethanol (green), hexane (red) and hexadecane
(red) are used for testing, covering both polar and nonpolar
liquids with surface tension ranging from 72.8 to 18.4 mN m.sup.-1
(at 20.degree. C.). "Oil recovery" in nonpolar liquids is observed
as the contact angle of alkanes firstly going down and then
recovering to the original value or even higher, with an increased
O.sub.2 plasma etching time as shown in FIG. 14.
[0028] FIGS. 4A-4B shows micrographs reflecting morphology of a
commercially available cellulose based filter paper, before (FIG.
4A) and after (FIG. 4B) silanization to form a superhydrophobic and
superoleophobic surface in accordance with certain aspects of the
present disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 5 shows a schematic of an exemplary process to
fabricate omniphilic channels within an omniphobic background
formed by surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings.
[0030] FIG. 6 shows photographs before and after separation of free
oil and water by using a separator membrane having a hydrophilic
and oleophobic surface coated with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings.
[0031] FIG. 7 shows photographs before and after separation of an
emulsion of oil and water by using a separator membrane having a
hydrophilic and oleophobic surface coated with low energy
fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of
the present teachings.
[0032] FIG. 8 shows a paper-based microfluidic device prepared by
patterning a porous material having a surface coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings. The fluid pathways are omniphilic
(hydrophilic and oleophilic), while the background region is
omniphobic (hydrophobic and oleophobic).
[0033] FIG. 9 shows various omniphilic shapes and sizes (including
various letters) patterned within the omniphobic coated surface
comprising low energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance
with certain aspects of the present teachings.
[0034] FIGS. 10A-10E show various aspects of fluid control on
porous materials having patterns formed in surfaces coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings. FIG. 10A is a patterned porous
material having surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings with straight fluidic channels formed therein (having
dimensions of 50 mm in length and 2 mm width). The porous material
is in the form of a chip and each has a surface coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings. The chips are first masked, and
then etched by O.sub.2 plasma (200 W) at different time intervals.
From left to right are 5 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60
seconds, 120 seconds, 300 seconds, 600 seconds and 900 seconds,
respectively. Water (blue), dimethylformamide (DMF) (pink),
chloroform (black), acetone (purplish gray), ethanol (light pink),
hexane (wine) and hexadecane (dark red) are used for testing. Each
channel is impregnated with 20 .mu.L testing liquid and the chips
are disposed horizontally on a bench. In FIG. 10B, wetting length,
defined as the maximal horizontal distance that the impregnated
liquid can reach, as a function of O.sub.2 plasma etching time, is
shown. FIG. 10C shows wetting depth, defined as the maximal
vertical distance the impregnated liquid can reach (FIG. 16A), as a
function of O.sub.2 plasma etching time. The thickness of paper is
390 .mu.m. FIG. 10D shows average wetting velocity, defined as
wetting length over the time of impregnation, as a function of
O.sub.2 plasma etching time. FIG. 10E shows a wetting width, i.e. a
lateral distance across each channel the impregnated liquid can
reach. Each channel is designed to have a width of 2 mm.
[0035] FIGS. 11A-11E show two-dimensional channels formed in porous
material chips having surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl
silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings, which have integrated extreme wettabilities. FIG. 11A
shows a photographs of a paper substrate based alcoholmeter formed
in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure. The
alcoholmeter comprises a plurality of hydrophobic and oleophilic
straight channels (50 mm long and 2 mm wide) prepared by O.sub.2
plasma etching in 200 W/15 seconds. Each channel is filled with 10
.mu.L water-ethanol mixture in a series of volume concentration of
ethanol (from left to right, 0% (pure water dyed in blue), 20%,
40%, 60%, 80% and 100% (pure ethanol dyed in red)) (FIG. 17). The
wetting length from each channel can be read out as 5.5 mm (0%),
5.8 mm (20%), 8.0 mm (40%), 15.2 mm (60%), 24.5 mm (80%) and 34.5
mm (100%), respectively. FIG. 11B shows an exemplary separation
device for a continuous surface oil-water separation process. A
hydrophobic and oleophilic (HP/OL) fluidic channel (left in image,
O.sub.2 plasma etching in 200 W/15 seconds) is integrated with a
hydrophilic and oleophobic (HL/OP) channel (right in image, O.sub.2
plasma etching in 200 W/900 seconds) as one oil-water separation
unit on the surface of the porous material. A heptane-water mixture
is channeled to the central reservoir through a premixing head, and
pure heptane and water are collected at each end of the channel.
Two pieces of untreated filter paper are used as guiding strips to
link each channel and liquid collector. FIG. 11C is a purity check
after separation from the guiding strips in FIG. 11B. The end
marked "Up" was put upward in the liquid collector during
separation. FIG. 11D shows a device for surface emulsification
incorporating a porous material having surfaces coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings. A flow focusing geometry is made
on porous materials having surfaces coated with low energy
fluoroalkyl silanes to control external (DI water with 2% wt. SDS)
and inner (precursor--TMPTA with 5% wt. initiator) fluids (also
shown in FIG. 18). The external water channel is HL/OP and prepared
by O.sub.2 plasma etching in 200 W/300 seconds, the internal
precursor channel is HP/OL and prepared by O.sub.2 plasma etching
at 200 W/15 seconds. External fluid is first pumped to fill the
water channel, followed by the impregnation of inner fluid in the
inner precursor channel. The external channel flow rate (1500 .mu.L
min.sup.-1) and inner channel flow rate (5 .mu.L min.sup.-1) are
controlled by syringe pumps. A 350 nm UV lamp is mounted above the
collector to crosslink the emulsion microdroplets. FIG. 11E shows
an SEM image of the crosslinked polymeric microparticles. All of
the particles are hemispheres with a diameter around 500 .mu.m of
the pedestal circle. The inset in FIG. 11E is a photograph of the
polymeric microparticles from 1 hour emulsification (dyed in red
and collected in a glass vial).
[0036] FIGS. 12A-12C show a three-dimensional (3D) all-liquid
porous material fluidic chip devices having surfaces coated with
low energy fluoroalkyl silanes with extreme wettabilities. FIG. 12A
is a schematic illustration of the structure and layout of
4.times.4 bridge matrix integrated on a single piece of fluoroalkyl
silane coated paper as a 3D fluidic chip. The two groups of
orthogonally arranged channels are numbered as in x direction and
in y direction in an order of testing liquids: water (blue), DMF
(pink), heptane (wine) and ethanol (green). High power O.sub.2
plasma etching (350 W) is locally applied to each channel to get an
optimal flow rate for different liquids. The etching times are, 180
seconds for water channels, 60 seconds for DMF channels, 30 seconds
for heptane channels and 15 seconds for ethanol channels. The
dimensions of the fluidic channels (1, 2, 3, 4) in x direction are
25 mm (length).times.1.8 mm (width). The dimensions of the fluidic
channels (a, b, c, d) in y direction are 50 mm (length).times.3 mm
(width). The bridges are 10 mm in length. Each bridge is of a pair
of perforations in three and of 500 .mu.m in diameter. FIG. 12B
shows z+ side of the 3D chip after being filled with the four
testing liquids. FIG. 12C shows z- side of the same 3D chip, which
is turned over along the short edge.
[0037] FIG. 13 shows contact angles on porous paper materials
having omniphobic surfaces coated with deep fluorinated silanes
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teaching.
[0038] FIG. 14 shows advancing contact angles (.theta.*.sub.adv) on
a porous paper substrate having a coated surface with low energy
fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of
the present teachings and etched with O.sub.2 plasma at varying
etching times (ranging from 0 to 900 seconds). .theta.*.sub.adv for
water, ethanol, hexadecane, and hexane are shown
[0039] FIGS. 15A-1 to 15J are scanning electron microscopy (SEM)
images and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of porous
materials having surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl
silanes with different time of O.sub.2 plasma etching prepared in
accordance with certain aspects of the present teachings.
[0040] FIGS. 16A-16B. FIG. 16A is an optical image of the
cross-section of two-dimensional (2D) channels formed in surfaces
coated with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes having extreme
wettabilities prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the
present teachings and filled with seven test liquids. FIG. 16B
shows plasma etching time versus wetting width (mm) for water, DMF,
chloroform, acetone, ethanol, hexane, and hexadecane.
[0041] FIG. 17 shows surface tension of a water-ethanol binary
mixture.
[0042] FIG. 18 shows design of geometry for a continuous surface
oil-water separator device formed on porous surfaces coated with
low energy fluoroalkyl silanes having extreme wettabilities
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings.
[0043] FIGS. 19A-19C show flow focusing geometry on porous
materials having surfaces coated with low energy fluoroalkyl
silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings used for joining distinct streams for surface
emulsification. FIG. 19A is a photograph of the device setup. FIG.
19B is a photograph showing a surface of the fluidic device used in
the device of FIG. 19A, where the surface has an inner fluid
channel and an outer or external fluid channel.
[0044] FIG. 19C is a detailed view of the surface of the fluidic
device shown in FIG. 19B.
[0045] FIGS. 20A-20D show a fluidic device formed on a porous paper
substrate having a coated surface with low energy fluoroalkyl
silanes prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings. The fluidic device is used for a single-liquid and
configured for three-dimensional (3D) liquid flow. FIG. 20A is a
schematic of a single 3D channel with a bridge formed between an
upper portion of the channel and a lower portion of the channel.
FIGS. 20B-20D show top and bottom vies of such 3D channel
separators tested with water, DMF, heptane, and ethanol.
[0046] FIGS. 21A-21C show wetting time optimization on 3D fluidic
channels in a fluidic device formed on a porous paper substrate
having a coated surface with low energy fluoroalkyl silanes
prepared in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings. FIG. 21A is a schematic showing two bridges forming a 3D
fluidic pathway for a fluidic device. FIG. 21 B is an assembly of
multiple fluidic substrates centrally joined. Wetting times for
water, DMF, ethanol, and heptane are provided in FIG. 21C.
[0047] FIG. 22 shows a schematic of an exemplary deep
fluorosilanization process onto a cellulose paper by vapor phase
deposition of a fluoroalkyl silane precursor comprising
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trichlorosilane (SIH5841.0)
in accordance with certain aspects of the present disclosure.
[0048] FIGS. 23A-23D. FIG. 23A shows a geometry of operation for a
separation unit for continuous surface liquid-liquid extraction
according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. FIG. 23B
shows a schematic illustration of the extraction pattern for a feed
and extractant on such a separation unit. FIG. 23C shows a
refractive index check on the feed before and after extraction and
separation. FIG. 23D shows a refractive index check on the
extractant before and after extraction.
[0049] FIGS. 24A-24E show paper-based microfluidic applications
designed with integrated extreme wettabilities for oil-water
separation according to certain aspects of the present disclosure.
FIG. 24A shows a multiplexed oil-water dispensation configuration
according to certain aspects of the present disclosure. Four HL/OP
and four HP/OL channels are radially arranged from a central
reservoir, with which a heptane-water mixture can be automatically
separated and dispensed. FIG. 24B shows a continuous surface
liquid-liquid extraction separator device. A hydrophobic/oleophilic
(HP/OL) fluidic channel is integrated with a hydrophilic/oleophobic
(HL/OP) channel side-by-side and used as an operation unit for
liquid-liquid extraction on the surface. FIGS. 24C-24E are
magnified portions of FIG. 24B that show the details of the three
zones in HP/OL channel and the dye ribbon in HL/OP channel.
[0050] FIGS. 25A-25C. FIG. 25A shows microscopic images of both
omniphobic and omniphilic paper prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present disclosure cultured with mammalian cells
(human SKOV3 cells), blood, and bacteria after Ponceau S staining.
FIG. 25B shows microscopic images of the omniphobic and omniphilic
paper before any cells (mammalian, blood, or bacteria) are added.
FIG. 25C shows microscopic images of omniphobic and omniphilic
paper stained with Ponceau S after it being incubated with
bacterial medium.
[0051] FIGS. 26A-26C show microscopic images of mammalian cells
(SKOV3) growing on a surface prepared in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings having select omniphilic channels
(3 mm) on an omniphobic background. After three days of growth and
then staining, the cells are shown to grow on the omniphobic
regions, but not on the omniphobic regions. Successive
magnifications of channels are shown, where FIG. 26A has a 5 mm
scale. FIG. 26B is a detailed view taken in the designated region
of FIG. 26B with a 1 mm scale, while FIG. 26C is a detailed view
taken in the designated region of FIG. 26B with a 500 .mu.m
scale.
[0052] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0054] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure
will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are
skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as
examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a
thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details
need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in
many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit
the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments,
well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known
technologies are not described in detail.
[0055] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be
limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the"
may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises,"
"comprising," "including," and "having," are inclusive and
therefore specify the presence of stated features, steps,
operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the
presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. The
method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to
be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the
particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically
identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood
that additional or alternative steps may be employed.
[0056] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on,"
"engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or
layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the
other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be
present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being
"directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or
"directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no
intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to
describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in
a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between,"
"adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the
term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of
the associated listed items.
[0057] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used
herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers
and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or
sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be
only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or
section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as
"first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do
not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the
context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section
discussed below could be termed a second element, component,
region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of
the example embodiments.
[0058] Spatially relative terms, such as "inner," "outer,"
"beneath," "below," "lower," "above," "upper," and the like, may be
used herein for ease of description to describe one element or
feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as
illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be
intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use
or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the
figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over,
elements described as "below" or "beneath" other elements or
features would then be oriented "above" the other elements or
features. Thus, the example term "below" can encompass both an
orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise
oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the
spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted
accordingly.
[0059] Throughout this disclosure, the numerical values represent
approximate measures or limits to ranges to encompass minor
deviations from the given values and embodiments having about the
value mentioned as well as those having exactly the value
mentioned. Other than in the working examples provided at the end
of the detailed description, all numerical values of parameters
(e.g., of quantities or conditions) in this specification,
including the appended claims, are to be understood as being
modified in all instances by the term "about" whether or not
"about" actually appears before the numerical value. "About"
indicates that the stated numerical value allows some slight
imprecision (with some approach to exactness in the value;
approximately or reasonably close to the value; nearly). If the
imprecision provided by "about" is not otherwise understood in the
art with this ordinary meaning, then "about" as used herein
indicates at least variations that may arise from ordinary methods
of measuring and using such parameters.
[0060] As referred to herein, ranges are, unless specified
otherwise, inclusive of endpoints and include disclosure of all
distinct values and further divided ranges within the entire
range.
[0061] In various aspects, the present disclosure provides novel
porous materials having coated surfaces, which have vast
applicability for numerous applications. For example, as will be
discussed in further detail below, in certain aspects, the
inventive technology can be employed to separate immiscible liquid
components, like oil and water from a liquid-liquid mixture. As
used herein, a "mixture" encompasses not only solutions having
components (e.g., phases, moieties, solvents, solutes, molecules,
and the like) that are homogenously mixed together, but also
combinations of components or materials that are not necessarily
evenly, homogeneously, or regularly distributed when combined
(e.g., unevenly mixed combinations of components, separated layers
of immiscible components, unevenly distributed suspensions, and the
like). Further, the inventive technology can be employed to
separate certain miscible liquid components. The inventive
technology can thus be used in a wide variety of applications,
including microfluidics where such separations are frequently
conducted.
[0062] In accordance with certain aspects of the present teachings,
a new methodology for the fabrication of a surface having extreme
wettabilities is provided. Surfaces possessing extreme
wettabilities are generally understood to be those that display
extreme wetting (e.g., contact angles nearing 0.degree.) or
non-wetting (e.g., contact angles of greater than or equal to about
120.degree.) with different liquids. In general, liquids may be
classified as polar (such as water, alcohols, dimethyl formamide
and the like) and non-polar (such as various oils). Notably, the
use of "hydro" nomenclature is intended to encompass both water and
polar liquids, while "oleo" nomenclature encompasses non-polar
liquids, including oils. Extreme wettabilities may therefore
include any combination of: (i) superhydrophobic and oleophilic;
(ii) superhydrophobic and superoleophilic; (iii) superhydrophobic
and superoleophobic; (iv) superhydrophilic and oleophobic; or (v)
superhydrophilic and superoleophobic. In various aspects, the
present disclosure provides new techniques for creating surfaces
having predetermined extreme wettabilities in a streamlined process
with materials that are readily available commercially. Thus, the
surfaces having extreme wettabilities may be formed on a variety of
commercially available porous materials by using commercially
available low surface energy silanes. By changing the type of
silane and the processing conditions in accordance with certain
aspects of the present teachings, various different types of
surfaces with extreme wettabilities can be formed.
[0063] By way of further background, extreme wettability can be
understood in the context of the following. The primary measure of
wetting of a liquid on a non-textured (or smooth) surface is the
equilibrium contact angle .theta., given by Young's relation
as:
cos .theta. = .gamma. SV - .gamma. SL .gamma. LV . ( Equation 1 )
##EQU00001##
[0064] Here, y refers to the interfacial tension, and S, L, and V
designate the solid, liquid, and vapor phases, respectively. The
solid-vapor interfacial tension (.gamma..sub.SV) and the
liquid-vapor interfacial tension (.gamma..sub.LV) are also commonly
referred to as the solid surface energy and the liquid surface
tension, respectively. Non-textured surfaces that display contact
angles .theta. greater than or equal to about 90.degree. with water
(or other polar liquids) are considered to be hydrophobic and
surfaces that display contact angles greater than or equal to about
90.degree. with oil (or other non-polar liquids) are considered to
be oleophobic. Typically, surfaces with high .gamma..sub.SV tend to
be hydrophilic, whereas those with low .gamma..sub.SV (such as
highly fluorinated compounds) tend to be hydrophobic.
[0065] Surfaces that spontaneously approach a contact angle .theta.
of 0.degree. with water and oil are generally considered
superhydrophilic and superoleophilic respectively and surfaces that
approach contact angles .theta. greater than or equal to about
150.degree. and low contact angle hysteresis (difference between
the advancing .theta..sub.adv and the receding contact angle
.theta..sub.rec) with water and oil are generally considered to be
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic, respectively.
[0066] Surfaces that display a contact angle .theta. of less than
or equal to about 90.degree., optionally of less than or equal to
about 85.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
80.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about 75.degree.,
optionally of less than or equal to about 70.degree., optionally of
less than or equal to about 65.degree., optionally of less than or
equal to about 60.degree., optionally of less than or equal to
about 55.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
50.degree., and in certain aspects, optionally of less than or
equal to about 45.degree. with water or other polar liquids (e.g.,
alcohols, dimethyl formamide and the like) are considered to be
"hydrophilic."
[0067] As used herein, surfaces that display a contact angle
.theta. of less than or equal to about 5.degree., optionally of
less than or equal to about 4.degree., optionally of less than or
equal to about 3.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
2.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about 1.degree., and
in certain aspects, 0.degree. with water or other polar liquids
(e.g., alcohols, dimethyl formamide and the like) are considered to
be "superhydrophilic."
[0068] Surfaces that display a contact angle of greater than or
equal to about 90.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 95.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
100.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 105.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 110.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 115.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 120.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 125.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
130.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 135.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 140.degree., and in
certain aspects, optionally greater than or equal to about
145.degree. with water or other polar liquids are considered to be
"hydrophobic."
[0069] Superhydrophobic surfaces are those that display a contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 151.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 152.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 153.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
154.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 155.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 156.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 157.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 1580, optionally greater than or equal to about
159.degree., and in certain aspects, optionally greater than or
equal to about 160.degree. along with low contact angle hysteresis
(difference between the advancing .theta..sub.adv and the receding
contact angle .theta..sub.rec) with water or other preselected
polar liquids. In certain variations, a "superhydrophobic" surface
has a contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree.
and less than or equal to about 180.degree. with water or another
polar liquid.
[0070] Surfaces that display a contact angle .theta. of less than
or equal to about 90.degree., optionally of less than or equal to
about 85.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
80.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about 75.degree.,
optionally of less than or equal to about 70.degree., optionally of
less than or equal to about 65.degree., optionally of less than or
equal to about 60.degree., optionally of less than or equal to
about 55.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
50.degree., and in certain aspects, 45.degree. with oil (a
preselected reference oil or other non-polar liquid) are considered
to be "oleophilic." A "preselected oil" is intended to include any
oil or combinations of oils of interest. As discussed herein, in
certain non-limiting variations, an exemplary preselected oil used
to demonstrate oleophobicity/oleophilicity is rapeseed oil
(RSO).
[0071] Likewise, surfaces that display a contact angle .theta. of
less than or equal to about 5.degree., optionally of less than or
equal to about 4.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about
3.degree., optionally of less than or equal to about 2.degree.,
optionally of less than or equal to about 1.degree., and in certain
aspects, 0.degree. with oil (a preselected reference oil or other
non-polar liquid) are considered to be "superoleophilic."
[0072] Surfaces that display a contact angle of greater than or
equal to about 90.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 95.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
100.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 105.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 110.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 115.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 120.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 125.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
130.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 135.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 140.degree., and in
certain aspects, optionally greater than or equal to about
145.degree. with a preselected oil are considered to be
"oleophobic." Due to the low surface tension values for oils, in
spite of numerous known natural superhydrophobic surfaces, there
are no known, naturally-occurring, superoleophobic surfaces.
[0073] Superoleophobic surfaces are those that display a contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 151.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 152.degree., optionally greater than or equal to
about 153.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about
154.degree., optionally greater than or equal to about 155.degree.,
optionally greater than or equal to about 156.degree., optionally
greater than or equal to about 157.degree., optionally greater than
or equal to about 1580, optionally greater than or equal to about
159.degree., and in certain aspects, optionally greater than or
equal to about 160.degree. along with low contact angle hysteresis
(difference between the advancing .theta..sub.adv and the receding
contact angle .theta..sub.rec) with preselected low surface tension
liquids, such as a representative oil (for example, rapeseed oil
(RSO)). In certain variations a "superoleophobic" surface has a
contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. and
less than or equal to about 180.degree. with a preselected oil,
like representative RSO oil.
[0074] As noted above, oleophobic and superoleophobic surfaces are
generally hydrophobic and/or superhydrophobic, because the surface
tension of water is significantly higher than that of oils. In
accordance with the certain aspects of the present teachings,
however, the presence of specific intermolecular interactions
(hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole interactions, and the like) at the
solid-liquid interface and the magnitude of a solid-liquid
interfacial energy (.gamma..sub.sl) for water can be significantly
lower than for oil.
[0075] By employing design principles in accordance with the
present teachings on a porous material surface, the inventive
materials can provide various extreme wettability combinations,
including those that are oleophobic or superoleophobic, yet
hydrophilic or superhydrophilic surfaces. In accordance with the
principles of the present disclosure, re-entrant surface texture
can be pre-selected in combination with surface chemistry
modification to create low energy surfaces that can support a
robust composite (solid-liquid-air) interface and display apparent
contact angles greater than or equal to about 90.degree. and in
certain variations greater than or equal to about 150.degree. with
various low surface tension or high surface tension liquids.
Surfaces displaying such functionality have vast applicability in a
variety of fields, including commercial applications for
liquid-liquid separation.
[0076] Re-entrant surface texture, in conjunction with surface
chemistry and roughness, can be used to engineer superoleophobic
surfaces, even with extremely low surface tensions liquids such as
various oils and alcohols. When a liquid contacts a porous (or
textured) surface, it exhibits an apparent advancing contact angle
.theta..degree. that can be significantly different from the
equilibrium contact angle. If the liquid fully penetrates the
porous surface, it is said to be in the Wenzel state. If the liquid
does not penetrate completely, a composite (solid-liquid-air)
interface forms below the drop and it considered to be in the
Cassie-Baxter state. In certain variations of the present
disclosure, super-repellent surfaces have a surface geometry that
promotes the Cassie-Baxter state. In the Cassie-Baxter state,
liquid wets the porous surface up to the point where the local
texture angle becomes equal to the equilibrium contact angle.
[0077] In accordance with certain aspects of the present teachings,
a porous material substrate is selected to have such a desirable
re-entrant surface texture (a line projected normal to the surface
intersects the texture more than once), which can then be coupled
with novel surface coatings to result in a low energy surface that
has extreme wettability. By further design (for example, by
selection or manipulation of the surface of the porous substrate),
the oleophobicity of the surface can be preselected and tuned, for
example, by preselecting a robustness factor (A*) and dimensionless
spacing ratio (D*) to provide the desired oleophobicity.
[0078] Physically, A* is a measure of the pressure that the
composite interface can withstand before transitioning (at A*=1)
from the Cassie-Baxter state to the Wenzel state. Large values of
the robustness factor (A*>>1) indicate the formation of a
robust composite interface that can withstand a very high pressure.
On the other hand, for A*<1, the composite interface cannot
maintain its stability against even small pressure differentials,
causing the liquid to completely penetrate the porous surface,
leading to the Wenzel state. Physically, D* is a measure of the air
entrapped below the composite interface. For textures that are
dominated by cylindrical fiber-like features, such as the porous
geometries suitable for use as materials in the present teachings,
these design parameters are defined as,
A * = R 1 cap D 2 1 - cos .theta. 1 + 2 ( R / D ) sin .theta. (
Equation 2 ) D * = R + D R ( Equation 3 ) ##EQU00002##
where R is the fiber radius, 2D is the inter-fiber spacing, and
l.sub.cap is the capillary length of the liquid that is defined
as,
l.sub.cap= {square root over (.gamma..sub.lv/.rho.g)} (Equation
4)
where g is acceleration due to gravity and p is the density of the
liquid. The Cassie-Baxter relationship, which relates the apparent
contact angle .theta.* to the equilibrium contact angle .theta. can
be expressed in terms of D* as,
cos .theta. * = - 1 + 1 D * [ sin .theta. + ( .pi. - .theta. ) cos
.theta. ] ( Equation 5 ) ##EQU00003##
[0079] As can be observed from Equation 5, higher values of D*
correspond to a higher fraction of air in the composite interface
and consequently an increase in .theta.* for a given liquid. D*
only depends on geometry, whereas A* depends on the geometry, as
well as the liquid and the solid surface. In certain aspects of the
present teachings, a superhydrophilic surface can be designed where
A*.sub.water<1 irrespective of D* and that a superoleophobic
surface has A*.sub.oil>>1 and D*>1.
[0080] FIG. 1 shows the overall wettability landscape based on the
various contact angles that are possible with polar liquids (e.g.,
water) and non-polar liquids (e.g., various oils). Based on
respective contact angles, it is possible to design different
surfaces with extreme wettability to oil and water, shown as
Quadrants I-IV in FIG. 1 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3A-3B with
examples).
[0081] Quadrant I has an oil contact angle .theta..sub.OIL of
greater than or equal to about 90.degree. to less than or equal to
about 180.degree. and a water contact angle .theta..sub.H2O of
greater than or equal to about 90.degree. to less than or equal to
about 180.degree.. Thus, in Quadrant I, omniphobic surfaces are
shown. Omniphobic surfaces are those surfaces that repel (or are
non-wetting to) almost all known liquids, polar or non-polar.
Omniphobic surfaces are generally indicated to have contact angles
.theta..sub.OIL and .theta..sub.H2O of greater than 90.degree..
While omniphobic wettability encompasses superomniphobic
wettability, superomniphobic surfaces are typically considered to
have .theta..sub.OIL and .theta..sub.H2O of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. up to about 180.degree., by way of example and
as discussed previously above.
[0082] Quadrant II has an oil contact angle .theta..sub.OIL of
greater than or equal to about 90.degree. to less than or equal to
about 180.degree. and a water contact angle .theta..sub.H2O of
greater than or equal to 0.degree. to less than or equal to about
90.degree.. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, Quadrant II includes surfaces
that are both hydrophilic and oleophobic, as well as
superhydrophilic and superoleophobic. These surfaces,
counter-intuitively, are wet by a polar liquid, such as water or
alcohol, but can repel low surface tension non-polar liquids, such
as various oils. Again, while oleophobic wettability includes
superoleophobic wettability, superoleophobic surfaces are typically
considered to have .theta..sub.OIL of greater than or equal to
about 150.degree. up to about 180.degree., by way of example and as
discussed previously above. Similarly, while hydrophilic
wettability encompasses superhydrophilic wettability,
superhydrophilic surfaces are typically considered to have
.theta..sub.H2O of 0.degree. to less than or equal to about
30.degree..
[0083] Quadrant III has an oil contact angle .theta..sub.OIL of
greater than or equal to about 0.degree. to less than or equal to
about 90.degree. and a water contact angle .theta..sub.H2O of
greater than or equal to about 0.degree. to less than or equal to
about 90.degree.. Thus, in Quadrant III, omniphilic surfaces are
shown. Omniphilic surfaces are those surfaces that are wet by all
liquids, polar or non-polar. Notably, omniphilic surfaces are
indicated to have contact angles BOIL and .theta..sub.H2O of less
than 90.degree., while superphilic surfaces may have
.theta..sub.OIL and .theta..sub.H2O of greater than 0 up to about
30.degree., by way of example and as discussed previously above.
Many conventional porous surfaces, such as various fabrics, paper,
and filter paper are inherently omniphilic.
[0084] Finally, Quadrant IV shows an oil contact angle
.theta..sub.OIL of greater than or equal to about 0.degree. to less
than or equal to about 90.degree. and a water contact angle
.theta..sub.H2O of greater than or equal to about 90.degree. to
less than or equal to about 180.degree.. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1,
Quadrant IV includes hydrophobic and oleophilic surfaces, as well
as superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surfaces. Again, while
hydrophobic wettability includes superhydrophobic wettability,
superhydrophobic surfaces are typically considered to have
.theta..sub.H2O of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. up to
about 180.degree., by way of example and as discussed previously
above. Similarly, while oleophilic wettability encompasses
superoleophilic wettability, superoleophilic surfaces are typically
considered to have .theta..sub.OIL of 0.degree. to less than or
equal to about 30.degree.. Such surfaces are wet by a non-polar
liquid such as a low surface tension oil, but can repel a high
surface tension polar liquid, such as water.
[0085] The present technology provides a methodology for the
fabrication of surfaces with the three other extreme wettabilities
in Quadrants I-II and IV (omniphobic; superhydrophobic and
superoleophilic; superoleophobic and superhydrophilic).
Furthermore, in certain aspects, the present teachings contemplate
forming surfaces that have an extreme wettability selected from
Quadrants I I-II and IV, along with at least one other wettability
selected from Quadrants I-IV. Moreover, in certain variations, the
methods of the present disclosure use various commercially
available porous materials that are treated by using silanization.
Notably, the present disclosure contemplates a porous surface
having a plurality of distinct extreme wettabilities, including
two, three, or more distinct wettability characteristics on
different regions of the surface of the porous surface.
[0086] Therefore, in certain aspects, the present teachings
contemplate omniphobic surfaces that are surfaces that repel (or
are non-wetting to) almost all known liquids, polar or non-polar.
Thus, omniphobic surfaces can be considered to be both hydrophobic
and oleophobic, while superomniphobic can be considered to be both
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic, as discussed previously. In
certain variations, the present disclosure provides a coated
surface that is both superhydrophobic, having a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for water and superoleophobic, having a second apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for a preselected oil, such as RSO. Such surfaces can
have a range of applications such as developing surfaces with
enhanced solvent-resistance, chemical and biological protection,
stain-resistant textiles, "non-stick" coatings for various
applications, controlling protein and cell adhesion on surfaces,
engineering surfaces with enhanced resistance to organic solvents,
reduction of biofouling and the development of finger-print
resistant surfaces for flat-panel displays, cell-phones and
sunglasses, and the like.
[0087] In other variations, the present teachings contemplate
superhydrophobic and superoleophilic surfaces. This type of surface
is unique. In certain variations, the present disclosure provides a
coated surface that is both superhydrophobic, having a first
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for water and oleophilic, having a second
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to
about 90.degree. for a preselected oil, such as RSO. In certain
other variations, the present disclosure provides a coated surface
that is both superhydrophobic, having a first apparent advancing
dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree.
for water and superoleophilic, having a second apparent advancing
dynamic contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for
a preselected oil, such as RSO. These surfaces are wet by a
non-polar liquid, such as a low surface tension oil, but can repel
a high surface tension polar liquid such as water. Such surfaces
are useful for oil-water separation, developing self-cleaning
surfaces, and various water-repellent surfaces, including textiles
and fabrics.
[0088] In yet other variations, the present disclosure provides
superoleophobic and superhydrophilic surfaces. In certain other
variations, the present disclosure provides a coated surface that
is both superhydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water
and oleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 90.degree. for a
preselected oil, such as RSO. In certain other variations, the
present disclosure provides a coated surface that is both
superhydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water and
superoleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 5.degree. for a preselected
oil, such as RSO. These surfaces are wet by a polar liquid, such as
water or alcohol, but can repel low surface tension non-polar
liquids, such as various oils. Such surfaces are counter-intuitive
and unexpected, and can allow for solely gravity-driven separation
of oil-water mixtures. Furthermore, such materials prepared in
accordance with the present teachings are highly economical and
therefore provide extremely cost efficient oil-water separation,
for example. These materials are capable of separating free
oil-water, oil-water dispersions, as well as surfactant stabilized
oil-water emulsions.
[0089] In accordance with various aspects of the present
disclosure, the inventive material comprises a porous substrate
material having a coated surface. In certain aspects, the porous
substrate is highly porous (e.g., of greater than or equal to about
1% to less than or equal to about 99%, optionally having a porosity
of greater than or equal to about 10% to less than or equal to
about 95%), having a plurality of pores formed within a body of the
material. In certain aspects, the plurality of pores includes a
plurality of internal pores and external pores that are open to one
another and form continuous flow paths or channels through the
substrate body extending from a first external surface to a second
external surface. As used herein, the terms pore refers to pore
openings of various sizes, including so-called "macropores" (pores
greater than 50 nm diameter) and "mesopores" (pores having diameter
between 2 nm and 50 nm), unless otherwise indicated, and "pore
size" refers to an average or median value, including both the
internal and external pore diameter sizes. In various aspects, the
porous substrate comprises a plurality of pores having an average
pore size diameter of greater than or equal to about 10 nm to less
than or equal to about 1 mm, optionally greater than or equal to
about 20 nm to less than or equal to about 10 m; optionally greater
than or equal to about 30 nm to less than or equal to about 5 m;
optionally greater than or equal to about 40 nm to less than or
equal to about 1 .mu.m. In certain variations, an average pore size
diameter of the plurality of pores in the substrate material is
selected to be greater than or equal to about 10 nm to less than or
equal to about 1 mm, optionally greater than or equal to about 50
nm to less than or equal to about 500 nm.
[0090] In certain aspects of the present disclosure, the porous
substrate material is selected to have a plurality of hydroxyl
groups on exposed surfaces. The porous substrate material comprises
a plurality of hydroxyl groups, which could be any disposed on any
woven or non-woven substrate, including fabrics, textiles, thin
sheets or films, membranes, or coatings on a porous substrate, so
long as there is a significant number of hydroxyl groups on the
exposed surface. The presence of surface hydroxyl (--OH) groups
facilitates a silanization reaction in accordance with various
aspects of the present disclosure. Thus, in various aspects, a
significant amount of hydroxyl groups are present on the exposed
surface of the porous substrate material. In certain variations, a
commercially available porous material is selected that inherently
possesses surface hydroxyl groups (for example, cellulose-based
paper, cotton fabrics, and the like). A metal having a sufficient
amount of activated hydroxyl groups on the surface is also
contemplated in certain alternative embodiments. In other
embodiments, if the porous surface does not possess surface
hydroxyl groups, a thin polymeric coating (e.g., greater than or
equal to about 10 nanometers to less than or equal to about 10
micrometers) comprising a polymer that possesses hydroxyl groups
(such as poly vinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene
glycol, and poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol) is applied to a
surface of the porous material (and may coat internal pore
surfaces, as well).
[0091] The inventive methods of treating a surface to provide an
extreme wettability are generally compatible with a wide range of
substrate materials, including various commercially available
materials. Therefore, in certain exemplary embodiments, a porous
material is selected from the group consisting of: polymeric
materials, organic materials (such as materials derived from plants
or animals), metallic materials, inorganic materials, and
combinations thereof.
[0092] The porous materials can be woven or nonwoven fabrics,
textiles, or papers. The natural geometry of the fibers provides
desired re-entrant surface textures. In certain aspects, the porous
material is constructed from one or more materials selected from
the group consisting of screen, mesh, paper, woven cloth (e.g.,
cloth or fabric), non-woven cloth (e.g., felt), fiber, foam,
molecular sieves, entangled nanowires, and electrospun polymeric
nanofibers, and combinations thereof. Any porous substrate known or
to be discovered in the art compatible with the coating materials
is further contemplated by the present disclosure.
[0093] It should be noted that the material composition of the
porous substrate material having a desirable re-entrant surface
texture may vary significantly, as in certain aspects, it is the
chemistry of the exposed surface that influences the design and
properties exhibited. For example, a metal mesh, such as copper,
may have desirable re-entrant surface texture, but lack sufficient
hydroxyl groups on the surface. The metal mesh lacking the hydroxyl
groups may be coated with a material that bears substantial
hydroxyl groups, such as cellulose nanofibrils, to facilitate
subsequent silanization. Similarly, metals or other inorganic
materials with surface hydroxyl groups present due to oxidation
and/or corrosion are also contemplate.
[0094] Examples of suitable porous substrates include, by way of
non-limiting example, paper comprising cellulose, such as filter
papers. One such cellulose filter paper is commercially available
from Whatman as the WHATMAN-G3, having a nominal pore size of 6
.mu.m, an overall diameter of 150 mm, and a thickness of 390 .mu.m.
Another suitable example includes millipore nitrocellulose filter
membranes having a nominal pore size of 220 nm, commercially
available from Fisher Scientific. Yet other suitable substrate
materials include polycarbonate filter membranes, such as a first
polycarbonate filter membrane having a nominal pore size of 50 nm
or a second polycarbonate filter membrane having a nominal pore
size of 600 nm, both of which are commercially available as
SPI-PORE from SPI.
[0095] As such, the silanization process of certain embodiments of
the present teachings can be tuned to penetrate to a predetermined
depth of bulk of the porous substrate material (e.g., to react with
exposed pore opening surfaces extending into the bulk of the
material at a predetermined distance), so not just the outer
surface has the coated surface with extreme wettability. The
ability to coat within a bulk region of the porous substrate
material enables the material to retain its wettability properties,
even after physical damage, such as a scratch.
[0096] In accordance with the present disclosure, a porous
substrate comprising hydroxyl groups can be treated by reaction
with a silane component to form a surface coating on the porous
material surface. The silane component is selected to have a low
surface energy. Based on these principles and as further described
herein, new porous materials with engineered extreme wettabilities
are contemplated.
[0097] In accordance with certain aspects of the present
disclosure, prior to applying a low surface energy coating, the
exposed surfaces are optionally further treated to enhance
formation of hydroxyl groups on a surface of the porous material or
alternatively a polymeric material comprising hydroxyl groups. As
noted above, the presence of surface hydroxyl (--OH) groups
facilitates a silanization reaction in accordance with various
aspects of the present disclosure. To enhance the amount of
silanization when forming the surface coating, prior to reaction
with a low surface energy silane, the porous surface is first
exposed to an oxidative plasma (e.g., oxygen plasma) to activate
the surface. Alternatively, a polymeric surface may be similarly
activated using oxygen plasma, which is then followed by
silanization.
[0098] Methods for forming a porous surface having a predetermined
wettability thus include reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane with hydroxyl groups on a surface of a porous material, in
certain variations. As will be described in more detail below, the
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane advantageously has a surface
tension of less than or equal to about 35 mN/m. The reacting is
then conducted until greater than or equal to about 30% of the
hydroxyl groups on the surface react with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane in a silanization reaction to form a coated
surface having the predetermined wettability. In accordance with
the present teachings, the reaction conditions (e.g., temperature,
pressure, and reaction time) are thus selected so as to form a
surface coating that exhibits one of the following extreme
wettabilities: [0099] (i) superhydrophobic, where the coated
surface has a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of
greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and
oleophilic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected
oil; [0100] (ii) superhydrophobic, where the coated surface has a
first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or
equal to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophilic, having a
second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less than or
equal to about 5.degree. for a preselected oil; [0101] (iii)
superhydrophobic, where the coated surface has a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for water and superoleophobic, having a second apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for a preselected oil; [0102] (iv) superhydrophilic,
where the coated surface has a first apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water
and oleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 90.degree. for a
preselected oil; or [0103] (v) superhydrophilic, where the coated
surface has a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of
less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water and
superoleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for a
preselected oil.
[0104] In certain aspects, the method further comprises applying
the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane onto a surface of a
porous material before the reaction is initiated and conducted. The
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane precursor may be in the form
of a coating precursor that is applied to the surface. As
appreciated by those of skill in the art, other conventional
components may be included in the coating precursor, so long as
they do not significantly affect the wettability of the surface
coating formed. Such conventional components may include solvents,
carriers, antioxidants, anti-foaming agents, stabilizers, or other
standard additives, like flow additives, rheology modifiers,
adhesion promoters, and the like. The low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane in the precursor can be applied to the surface
of the porous material by using any conventional coating technique
including vapor phase deposition, dip coating, flow coating, spin
coating, roll coating, curtain coating and spray coating. In
certain embodiments, the precursor may form a coating that
permeates the substrate, including coating substantially all of the
internal pores.
[0105] In certain variations, a thickness of the coating formed
after reacting may be greater than or equal to about 10 nm to less
than or equal to about 10 .mu.m. Such a thickness may be measured
from an external surface of the coating inwards into the body/bulk
region of the porous material, for example.
[0106] In accordance with various aspects of the present
disclosure, prior to applying a low surface energy coating, the
exposed surfaces are optionally further treated to enhance
formation of hydroxyl groups on a surface of the porous material or
alternatively a polymeric material comprising hydroxyl groups. As
noted above, the presence of surface hydroxyl (--OH) groups
facilitates a silanization reaction in accordance with various
aspects of the present disclosure. To enhance the amount of
silanization when forming the surface coating, prior to reaction
with a low surface energy silane, the porous surface is first
exposed to oxygen plasma to activate the surface. Alternatively, a
polymeric surface may be similarly activated using oxygen plasma,
which is then followed by silanization.
[0107] The present disclosure thus provides methods for forming a
porous surface having a predetermined wettability. In certain
variations, such a method comprises reacting a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on a surface of a porous
material.
[0108] As noted previously above, in certain embodiments, a surface
of a porous material may be treated (prior to applying the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane) to enhance hydroxyl group
formation on the surface of the material, for example, activating
the surface of the material by treatment and exposure to oxygen
plasma. In one example, high power oxygen (O.sub.2) plasma etching
up to a power level of 350 W can be applied to a surface. Notably,
the power of the O.sub.2 plasma may vary, for example, from 30 W up
to 350 W. Such treatment is suitable when the porous material is
capable of forming hydroxyl groups. However, in other embodiments,
where a porous material does not form hydroxyl groups (even when
exposed to oxygen plasma), the methods may further comprise
applying a material that comprises or is capable of forming
hydroxyl groups. In one such example, such a material may be a
polymeric material that comprises or forms hydroxyl groups. For
example, a polymeric material may be applied prior to applying the
low energy silane. The polymeric material providing hydroxyl groups
on the surface may comprise polyvinyl alcohol or any other polymers
rich in hydroxyl groups, like polyols, such as polyethylene glycol,
polypropylene glycol, and poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol are
appropriate. In certain alternative aspects, polyethers and
polyesters are also believed to be polymeric materials that provide
suitable hydroxyl groups. The polymeric material may be applied to
the porous surface as a thin coating (having a thickness of greater
than or equal to about 10 nm to less than or equal to about 10
micrometers). Moreover, in such an embodiment, the polymer surface
may be subsequently activated using oxygen plasma, which is then
followed by silanization with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane precursor.
[0109] In certain variations, the reacting of the hydroxyl groups
on the porous substrate may be conducted at ambient pressure and
temperature conditions. In other aspects, the reacting is conducted
under negative pressure conditions, for example, by disposing the
porous substrate in a vacuum chamber, oven, or desiccator while the
reaction occurs.
[0110] In certain aspects, the reacting of the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface of the
porous material is conducted at a temperature ranging from room
temperature to less than or equal to about 125.degree. C.,
optionally at a temperature of greater than or equal to about
21.degree. C. (about 70.degree. F.) to less than or equal to about
110.degree. C. (about 230.degree. F.).
[0111] As noted above, the reacting of the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface of the
porous material is conducted until greater than or equal to about
30% of the hydroxyl groups on the surface react with the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane in a silanization reaction to
form a coated surface having the predetermined wettability. In
certain aspects, the reacting is conducted until greater than or
equal to about 40% of the hydroxyl groups react with the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane to form the coated surface and in
other aspects, the reacting may occur until greater than or equal
to about 60% of the hydroxyl groups react with the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane to form the coated surface.
[0112] The surface coating on the porous material formed by
reacting the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl
groups may comprise only one or more low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silanes after the reacting, without any additional components. For
example, the surface coating may consist essentially of the reacted
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane(s). In accordance with
inventive principles of the present disclosure, no additional
particles or other components are necessary to achieve the
predetermined extreme surface wettability.
[0113] Accordingly, in certain variations, the reacting of the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups is conducted
for greater than or equal to about 1 hour to less than or equal to
about 14 days. In certain variations, the reacting is conducted for
greater than or equal to about 10 hours to less than or equal to
about 24 hours. In other variations, the reacting is conducted for
greater than or equal to about 1 day to less than or equal to about
14 days. In yet other variations, the reacting may be conducted for
greater than or equal to about 1 day to less than or equal to about
5 days. In certain variations, the reacting is conducted for
greater than or equal to about 1 hour to less than or equal to
about 15 hours.
[0114] In certain aspects, the low surface energy silane comprises
at least one fluorine atom. The low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane advantageously has a surface tension of less than or equal
to about 35 mN/m; optionally less than or equal to about 25 mN/n;
and in certain variations, optionally less than or equal to about
10 mN/m, depending on the type of extreme wettability desired.
[0115] A low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane in accordance with
certain aspects of the present teachings is a silane that may be
represented by a general structure (I):
##STR00001##
where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are hydrolyzable ligands
complexed to the Si atom. Suitable hydrolyzable ligands may include
halides or alkyl ether/alkyoxy groups that can be hydrolyzed to
form a hydroxyl group and thus a silanol. R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and
R.sup.3 may be independently selected to hydrolysable or
non-hydrolyzable. Thus, in certain variations, at least one of
R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 may be independently selected from a
group of hydrolysable radicals consisting of: chlorine (Cl),
bromine (Br), methoxy (OCH.sub.3), ethoxy (OC.sub.2H.sub.5), and
propoxy (OC.sub.3H.sub.7). In certain embodiments, two or three of
R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are such hydrolysable groups.
However, in certain alternate variations, one or two of R.sup.1,
R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 may be independently selected from a group of
nonhydrolysable groups, such as hydrogen (H), alkyl groups,
cycloalkyl groups, aryl groups, and the like.
[0116] X may be represented by (CH.sub.2).sub.nY, where n ranges
from 0 to 3. Y is a hydrocarbon radical that comprises at least one
fluorine group and therefore provides low surface energy to the
silane. Y may be a partially fluorinated or fully fluorinated
hydrocarbon radical. Suitable hydrocarbon radicals include
fluorinated aliphatic groups, fluorinated alicyclic groups, and
combinations thereof. By way of example, Y may be a fluorinated
linear or branched alkyl radical. In certain variations, suitable
fluorinated alkyl radicals may have 5 to 12 carbon atoms,
optionally from 6 to 10 carbon atoms. In certain preferred aspects,
Y is a linear alkyl group, such as a fluorinated hexyl, heptyl,
octyl, nonyl, or decyl group. In certain preferred aspects,
particularly suitable low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane are
selected from a group consisting of:
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
nonafluorohexyl triethoxysilane, nonafluorohexyl trichlorosilane,
and combinations thereof.
[0117] In accordance with various aspects of the present
disclosure, after applying the low surface energy coating, one or
more regions of the coated surface may be further treated to have a
distinct wettability. In certain variations, one or more regions of
the low surface energy coated surface may be further treated by
exposing the low surface energy coated surface to oxygen plasma. In
other variations, one or more materials having a distinct surface
wettability may be applied to the surface, for example, material
that is capable of adhering and coupling with the low surface
energy coated surface. Such materials may include certain inks or
adhesives that may be printed onto the low surface energy coated
surface. In one example, high power oxygen (O.sub.2) plasma is used
to etch the low surface energy coated surface at a power level of
greater than or equal to about 250 W to less than or equal to about
350 W. Such plasma treatment further modifies the wettability
properties of the exposed regions of the coated surface to provide
additional design options. Masking can be used to selectively treat
the coated surface of the porous material substrate. In certain
aspects, one or more regions of the coated surface of the substrate
are exposed to plasma treatment for a duration of greater than or
equal to about 15 seconds up to about 900 seconds. However, as will
be appreciated by those of skill in the art, plasma treatment times
may vary from those specified here depending on the composition of
the low surface energy coated surface and substrate, as well as
depending on plasma processing conditions, including power levels.
As explained in more detail below, a duration of exposure to the
oxygen plasma treatment can be used to further tailor the
wettability properties on a low surface energy coated surface.
[0118] Thus, in certain embodiments, the present disclosure
contemplates a method of forming a porous surface having a
predetermined wettability selected to be superhydrophobic and
superoleophobic (number (iii) above), and thus has a first apparent
advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about
150.degree. for water and a second apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for a
preselected oil. Such a method comprises reacting a low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on a surface of a
porous material, where the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
has a surface tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m. The
reacting is then conducted until greater than or equal to about 60%
of the hydroxyl groups on the surface react with the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane in a silanization reaction to form the
coated surface exhibiting superhydrophobic and superoleophobic
wettability. In other aspects, the superhydrophobic and
superoleophobic coated surface may consist essentially of the
reacted low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane or silanes. In
certain aspects, the superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coated
surface has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal
to about 2. A ratio of fluorine to oxygen in the surface coating
can be obtained using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as is well
known to those of skill in the art.
[0119] In one variation, forming a coated surface that is
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic comprises selecting the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane, and
combinations thereof. The reaction of the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface occurs at
room temperature within a vacuum desiccator for a duration of
greater than or equal to about 1 day to less than or equal to about
5 days until greater than or equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl
groups have reacted with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane.
[0120] In another variation, a superhydrophobic and superoleophobic
coated surface is formed by selecting the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane, and
combinations thereof. Such a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
is reacted with hydroxyl groups on the surface at room temperature
within a vacuum desiccator for a duration of greater than or equal
to about 10 days to less than or equal to about 14 days until
greater than or equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl groups have
reacted with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
[0121] In yet another variation, a superhydrophobic and
superoleophobic coated surface is formed by using a low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane selected from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane, and
combinations thereof. In this variation, the reacting of the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the
surface occurs at greater than or equal to about 95.degree. C.
(about 203.degree. F.) to less than or equal to about 105.degree.
C., optionally at about 100.degree. C., for a duration of greater
than or equal to about 10 hours to less than or equal to about 24
hours until greater than or equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl
groups have reacted with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane.
[0122] In a further variation, a superhydrophobic and
superoleophobic coated surface is formed by selecting the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane, and
combinations thereof. Such a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
is reacted with hydroxyl groups on the surface within a vacuum
desiccator at a temperature of greater than or equal to about
45.degree. C. (about 113.degree. F.) to less than or equal to about
55.degree. C. (about 131.degree. F.), optionally at about
50.degree. C. (about 122.degree. F.). The reacting of the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the
surface occurs for a duration of greater than or equal to about 10
hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours until greater than or
equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl groups have reacted with the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
[0123] In other aspects, the present disclosure contemplates
methods of forming a porous surface having a predetermined
wettability selected to be superhydrophobic and superoleophilic
(number (ii) above), and thus has a first apparent advancing
dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree.
for water and a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of
less than or equal to about 5.degree. for a preselected oil. Such a
method comprises reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
with hydroxyl groups on a surface of a porous material, where the
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane has a surface tension of less
than or equal to about 35 mN/m. The reacting is then conducted
until greater than or equal to about 40% of the hydroxyl groups on
the surface react with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane in
a silanization reaction to form the coated surface exhibiting
superhydrophobic and superoleophilic wettability. In certain
aspects, the superhydrophobic and superoleophilic coated surface
may consist essentially of the reacted low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane or silanes. In certain aspects, the
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coated surface has a ratio of
fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal to about 1.
[0124] In one variation, forming a coated surface that
superhydrophobic and superoleophilic comprises selecting the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof. The reacting of the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface can occur at
greater than or equal to about 95.degree. C. (about 203.degree. F.)
to less than or equal to about 105.degree. C., optionally at about
100.degree. C. The reacting can be conducted for a duration of
greater than or equal to about 1 hour to less than or equal to
about 2 hours until greater than or equal to about 40% of the
hydroxyl groups have reacted with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane.
[0125] In another variation, a superhydrophobic and superoleophilic
coated surface with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
comprising nonafluorohexyl triethoxysilane. The reacting of the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the
surface occurs at room temperature within a vacuum desiccator for a
duration of greater than or equal to about 10 days to less than or
equal to about 14 days until greater than or equal to about 40% of
the hydroxyl groups have reacted with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane.
[0126] In yet another variation, a superhydrophobic and
superoleophilic coated surface is formed by selecting the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof. In this embodiment, the method includes
reacting of the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl
groups on the surface occurs at room temperature within a vacuum
desiccator for a duration of greater than or equal to about 5 days
to less than or equal to about 10 days until greater than or equal
to about 40% of the hydroxyl groups have reacted with the low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
[0127] In other aspects, the present disclosure contemplates
methods of forming a porous surface having a predetermined
wettability selected to be superhydrophilic and superoleophobic
(number (v) above), and thus has a first apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water
and a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil. Such a
method comprises reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
with hydroxyl groups on a surface of a porous material, where the
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane has a surface tension of less
than or equal to about 35 mN/m. The reacting is then conducted
until greater than or equal to about 30% of the hydroxyl groups on
the surface react with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane in
a silanization reaction to form the coated surface exhibiting
superhydrophilic and superoleophobic wettability. In certain
aspects, the superhydrophilic and superoleophobic coated surface
may consist essentially of the reacted low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane or silanes. In certain aspects, the
superhydrophilic and superoleophobic coated surface has a ratio of
fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal to about 0.5.
[0128] In one variation, a superhydrophilic and superoleophobic
coated surface is formed by selecting the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane,
nonafluorohexyl triethoxysilane, and any combinations thereof. The
reacting of the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl
groups on the surface occurs at room temperature within a vacuum
desiccator for a duration of greater than or equal to about 10
hours to less than or equal to about 24 hours, until greater than
or equal to about 30% of the hydroxyl groups have reacted with the
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane.
[0129] In another variation, a superhydrophilic and superoleophobic
coated surface is formed by selecting the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane from a group consisting of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane, and
combinations thereof. The reacting of the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface occurs at
room temperature within a vacuum desiccator for a duration of
greater than or equal to about 1 hour to less than or equal to
about 15 hours, until greater than or equal to about 30% of the
hydroxyl groups have reacted with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane.
[0130] FIGS. 4A and 4B shows micrographs reflecting morphology of a
commercially available cellulose based filter paper, before (FIG.
4A) and after silanization (FIG. 4B) in accordance with certain
aspects of the present disclosure. Notably, the pre-treated paper
is both hydrophilic and oleophilic, while the treated paper
comprising the low surface energy coated surface exhibiting extreme
wettability is both superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic
(omniphobic).
[0131] The present disclosure further contemplates an embodiment
where a porous material comprises a coated surface that is both
superhydrophobic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and
oleophilic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected
oil. In certain variations, the coated surface is superoleophilic,
having the second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of less
than or equal to about 5.degree. for a preselected oil. The porous
material may be any of the substrates discussed above that were
discussed previously above. In one embodiment, the substrate
comprises paper or cellulose. In certain variations, the surface
coating may comprise a layer formed by reacting a low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl groups on the surface of
the porous material. Thus, in such variations, the coated surface
comprises a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface
tension of less than or equal to about 35 mN/m that has reacted
with hydroxyl groups on the porous material. In certain aspects,
the coated surface consists essentially of a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less than or equal
to about 35 mN/m reacted with hydroxyl groups on the porous
material.
[0132] In certain other variations, the surface coating optionally
further comprises a polymeric material that serves as a sublayer
beneath the coating formed by the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane. Such a polymeric material may comprise surface hydroxyl
groups that react with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
and may comprise polyvinyl alcohol. In such variations, the coated
surface consists essentially of a polymeric material on the porous
material and a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 35 mN/m reacted with
hydroxyl groups on the polymeric material.
[0133] In various aspects, where the surface wettability is
superhydrophobic and oleophilic or superoleophilic, the coated
surface has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal
to about 1. As noted above, a ratio of F:O can be obtained using
x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as is well known to those of
skill in the art. In certain aspects, greater than or equal to
about 40% of the hydroxyl groups on the porous material (whether on
the activated porous material itself or on a sublayer polymeric
coating bearing hydroxyl groups) are reacted with the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane. The superhydrophobic and
oleophilic/superoleophilic surface coating may be formed by
reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane selected from a
group consisting of: heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl
triethoxysilane, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl
triethoxysilane, nonafluorohexyl triethoxysilane, and combinations
thereof.
[0134] In other aspects, the present disclosure further
contemplates an embodiment where a porous material comprises a
coated surface that is both superhydrophobic, having a first
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophobic, having a second
apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater than or equal
to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil. In such an embodiment,
the superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coated surface is
considered to be omniphobic. The porous material may be any of the
substrates discussed above that were discussed previously above. In
one embodiment, the substrate comprises paper or cellulose. In
certain variations, the surface coating may comprise a layer formed
by reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m with
hydroxyl groups on the surface of the porous material, and in
certain variations, the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane may
have a surface tension of less than or equal to about 10 mN/m.
[0135] Thus, in such variations, the coated surface comprises a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less
than or equal to about 25 mN/m, optionally less than or equal to
about 10 mN/m, that has reacted with hydroxyl groups on the porous
material. In certain aspects, the coated surface consists
essentially of a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m, optionally
less than or equal to about 10 mN/m, reacted with hydroxyl groups
on the porous material.
[0136] In certain other variations, the surface coating optionally
further comprises a polymeric material that serves as a sublayer
beneath the coating formed by the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane. Such a polymeric material may comprise surface hydroxyl
groups that react with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
and may comprise polyvinyl alcohol. In such variations, the coated
surface consists essentially of a polymeric material on the porous
material and a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m, optionally
less than or equal to about 10 mN/m, reacted with hydroxyl groups
on the polymeric material.
[0137] In various aspects, where the surface wettability is
superhydrophobic and superoleophobic (e.g., omniphobic), the coated
surface has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal
to about 2. In certain aspects, greater than or equal to about 60%
of the hydroxyl groups on the porous material (whether on the
activated native porous material itself or on a sublayer polymeric
coating bearing hydroxyl groups) are reacted with the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane. The superhydrophobic and superoleophobic
surface coating may be formed by reacting a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane selected from a group consisting of:
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof.
[0138] In yet other aspects, the present disclosure contemplates a
porous material comprising a coated surface that is both
superhydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for water and
oleophobic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of greater than or equal to about 90.degree. for a
preselected oil. In certain variations, the coated surface is
superoleophobic, having the second apparent advancing dynamic
contact angle of less than or equal to about 5.degree. for a
preselected oil. The porous material may be any of the substrates
discussed above that were discussed previously above. In one
embodiment, the substrate comprises paper or cellulose. In certain
variations, the surface coating may comprise a layer formed by
reacting a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane with hydroxyl
groups on the surface of the porous material. Thus, in such
variations, the coated surface comprises a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less than or equal
to about 35 mN/m that has reacted with hydroxyl groups on the
porous material. In certain aspects, the coated surface consists
essentially of a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 35 mN/m reacted with
hydroxyl groups on the porous material.
[0139] In certain other variations, the surface coating optionally
further comprises a polymeric material that serves as a sublayer
beneath the coating formed by the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane. Such a polymeric material may comprise surface hydroxyl
groups that react with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
and may comprise polyvinyl alcohol. In such variations, the coated
surface consists essentially of a polymeric material on the porous
material and a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 35 mN/m reacted with
hydroxyl groups on the polymeric material.
[0140] In various aspects, where the surface wettability is
superhydrophilic and oleophobic or superoleophobic, coated surface
has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater than or equal to about
0.5. In certain aspects, greater than or equal to about 30% of the
hydroxyl groups on the porous material (whether on the activated
porous material itself or on a sublayer polymeric coating bearing
hydroxyl groups) are reacted with the low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane. The superhydrophilic and oleophobic or
superoleophobic surface coating may be formed by reacting a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane selected from a group consisting
of heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane,
nonafluorohexyl triethoxysilane, and combinations thereof.
[0141] In various aspects, the present disclosure provides novel
porous materials having predetermined extreme wettabilities. For
example, commercially available porous materials can be treated in
accordance with the inventive technology to provide novel
materials, lowering the cost and research necessary to introduce
extreme wettabilities into products. Moreover, the methods of the
present technology are simple, but readily adaptable. For example,
similar chemical processes can be used to create different
wettabilities, which permits not only design of distinct materials
on the same equipment, but also reuse of processing equipment for
different applications.
[0142] The ability to control the wettability of surfaces and
membranes is a key aspect of developing a large number of new
technologies such as: efficient separation oil and water for oil
spills, low-cost paper-based microfluidic devices, and
self-cleaning materials, by way of non-limiting example. Moreover,
the inventive porous materials can be made at low-cost and on a
massive scale manufacturing, which makes them commercially viable
and particularly useful in disposable applications. For example, it
is contemplated that the coated surfaces of porous materials
according to certain aspects of the present technology are
particularly suitable for use in microfluidic devices, such as
paper-based microfluidic devices. Such paper based microfluidics
may include disposable assays and tests.
[0143] In other aspects, porous materials having coated surfaces in
accordance with the present teachings can be used as oil-water
separation membranes. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf
of Mexico highlighted the difficulties in finding effective
oil-water separation technology. Efficient, cost-effective
processes for oil-water separation, especially in the presence of
dispersants (or surfactants), are particularly desirable.
Surfactant-stabilized mixtures of oil and water are classified, in
terms of the diameter (d) of the dispersed phase, as free oil and
water if d>150 .mu.m, a dispersion if 20
.mu.m.ltoreq.d.ltoreq.150 m or an emulsion if d.ltoreq.20 .mu.m.
Conventional gravity separators and skimming techniques are
incapable of separating emulsions. Membrane-based technologies are
attractive for demulsification (the conversion of an emulsion to a
free oil-water mixture), because they are relatively energy
efficient, cost effective, and are applicable across a wide range
of industrial effluents. However, for complete oil-water
separation, demulsification is typically followed by either gravity
separation or skimming.
[0144] Separation membranes are typically classified as either
hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Their wettability by oil is often not
specified because, in most cases, such membranes are oleophilic,
that is, their contact angle with oil is <90.degree..
Hydrophobic (or superhydrophobic) and oleophilic membranes are
typically used in energy-intensive cross-flow filtration systems,
because they are unsuitable for gravity-driven oil-water
separation. Water naturally settles below oil and against the
membrane owing to its higher density, thus forming a barrier layer
that prevents oil permeation. Hydrophobic and oleophilic membranes
are also easily fouled by oil during demulsification. Although
conventional hydrophilic membranes can be used for gravity-driven
demulsification, and are more resistant to fouling, they are
unsuitable for the separation of free oil-water mixtures or
water-in-oil emulsions because both oil and water can easily
permeate through them.
[0145] As many as three different phases (oil, oil-in-water or
water-in-oil emulsion, and water) may co-exist in oil-water
mixtures. To effect the gravity-driven separation of all types of
oil-water mixtures in a single step, the ideal membrane is expected
to be hydrophilic (or superhydrophilic) and oleophobic (or
superoleophobic), both in air and when submerged in water. However,
a membrane that is oleophobic in air typically loses its
oleophobicity under water, and vice versa.
[0146] Most surfaces that are superoleophobic (displaying apparent
contact angles for oil of .theta..sub.oil>1500) are also
superhydrophobic. This is due to the higher surface tension of
water, which results in the respective Young's contact angles
satisfying .theta..sub.water>.theta..sub.oil. Creation of
surfaces having .theta..sub.water>.theta..sub.oil has been
achieved by using specific interactions between water and the
substrate to lower the solid-liquid interfacial tension
(.gamma..sub.sl). However, almost all of such surfaces are
oleophilic. Hydrophilic (or superhydrophilic) and oleophobic (or
superoleophobic) surfaces, like those provided by the present
teachings, are extremely unique.
[0147] Accordingly, novel porous materials fabricated in accordance
with the inventive principles can be used in a separator device as
separator membrane, which is both hydrophilic and oleophobic in
both air and under water. These membranes can separate oil-water
mixtures, including surfactant stabilized emulsions, solely using
gravity, in a single unit operation, with more than 99.9%
separation efficiency. These membranes are used for the separation
of free oil-water, oil-water dispersions, as well as surfactant
stabilized oil-water emulsions with greater than 99.9% separation
efficiency, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The separator membrane
comprises a hydrophilic and oleophobic membrane, where free oil
(hexadecane) and water are separated after two minutes in FIG. 6.
In FIG. 7, separation of an oil-in-water emulsion using the
hydrophilic and oleophobic porous separator membrane is shown. The
oil-in-water emulsion comprises hexadecane oil stabilized by a
surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), in water. As can be seen,
after 5 minutes elapse, the emulsion separates into pure hexadecane
and water with SDS. The purity level of hexadecane is about 99.9
weight % and the water likewise has a purity of about 99.9 weight
%, excluding the SDS.
[0148] In various aspects, the present disclosure provides methods
and apparatuses for continuously filtering a first component from a
liquid-liquid mixture. A method of separating a liquid-liquid
mixture comprises contacting a liquid-liquid mixture with a porous
separator material having a coated surface (comprising a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane) exhibiting extreme wettability.
In certain aspects, the method of separating a liquid-liquid
mixture comprises contacting a liquid-liquid mixture with a porous
separator material having a coated surface (comprising a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane) exhibiting extreme wettability
in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure. The
liquid-liquid mixture comprises a first component present at an
initial amount and a second component. The separation of the first
component from the second component can occur by contacting the
liquid-liquid mixture with the coated surface of the porous
material via wicking on or through one or more regions of the
coated surface.
[0149] Thus, in certain variations, the contacting facilitates
separation by passage of the first component through the porous
separator material, so that the contacting separates greater than
or equal to about 85 weight % to less than or equal to about 100
weight % of the initial amount of the first component from the
liquid-liquid mixture. The balance that remains above the porous
separator is primarily the second component. In certain aspects,
this may be a gravity fed separation process. Such high separation
levels occur with separators prepared in accordance with the
present disclosure, even for emulsions and dispersed phases. In
other aspects, the contacting facilitates separation of the first
component from the second component by transporting the first
component via a first fluid pathway and the second component via a
second distinct fluid pathway. In this way, greater than or equal
to about 85 weight % to less than or equal to about 100 weight % of
the initial amount of the first component from the liquid-liquid
mixture and greater than or equal to about 85% to less than or
equal to about 100% of the second component from the liquid-liquid
mixture, so that the first component and the second component are
separated and collected at high purity levels. Again, such high
separation levels are possible for emulsions and dispersed phases
with the inventive technology.
[0150] Such continuous methods of separation can be conducted in
various conventional separator devices. For example, in certain
embodiments, the liquid-liquid mixture is gravity-assisted or
gravity fed towards the porous separator material having a coated
surface (comprising a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane) to
continuously separate the first component and optionally the second
component from the liquid-liquid mixture. Therefore, the first
component can be efficiently and continuously separated from a
concentrated second component.
[0151] In other aspects, the inventive porous materials having
coated surfaces with extreme wettability are particularly suitable
for use in microfluidic devices, such as paper-based microfluidic
devices, including bioassay and "lab-on-a-chip" applications. In
certain aspects, different surfaces with extreme wettabilities can
be combined on a single substrate (porous material surface) to
enable cheap, rapid, facile and conclusive industrial and medical
diagnostics, in particular for use in developing countries. For
example, microfluidic devices are typically created by fabricating
channels that are wetting to a particular contacting fluid or
liquid, within a background that cannot be wet by the contacting
fluid or liquid. This confines the contacting fluid or liquid
within the patterned channels.
[0152] Conventional devices can only be used with high surface
tension liquids, such as water. The chemically patterned channels
typically created in previous work cannot contain low surface
tension liquids, such as various oils and alcohols. This limitation
severely curtails the potential applications of conventional
paper-based microfluidic devices to only water and water-based
solutions. However, paper-based fluidic devices prepared in
accordance with certain aspects of the present teachings
successfully address and overcome such issues.
[0153] Combining low-cost and high-performance, open-channel
paper-based fluidic devices in particular are a promising platform
for point-of-care diagnostics and field detection. A fluidic
channel on paper can be prepared by creating a
hydrophilic-hydrophobic contrast (e.g., a surface energy barrier)
between the channel and background. Compared with traditional
closed-channel microfluidics, current open-channel microfluidic
device platforms lack versatility in fluid control to match demand
for increased design complexity. In certain aspects, the inventive
technology provides novel open-channel fluidic devices, such as a
paper-based open channel microfluidic device.
[0154] In accordance with certain embodiments of the present
disclosure, a fluidic or microfluidic device is contemplated. Such
a fluidic or microfluidic device optionally comprises a porous
material having a surface comprising: (i) a first surface region
exhibiting an extreme wettability and (ii) a second surface region,
distinct from the first surface region, exhibiting a second,
distinct wettability. The extreme wettability of the first surface
region may be selected from a group consisting of: (i)
superhydrophobic and oleophilic; (ii) superhydrophobic and
superoleophilic; (iii) superhydrophobic and superoleophobic; (iv)
superhydrophilic and oleophobic; and (v) superhydrophilic and
superoleophobic. Thus, the (i) first surface region and/or the (ii)
second surface region can be applied as a coating on the surface in
accordance with the various principles previously outlined above.
In certain aspects, one of the first and second surface regions is
capable of receiving, transferring, and/or storing a target fluid
(or fluids), while the other of the first and second surface
regions repel the target fluid (or fluids). The fluid or fluids may
be a polar liquid, a non-polar liquid, or combinations thereof.
Accordingly, in the microfluidic device, the (i) first surface
region and (ii) second surface region together define at least one
microscale fluidic pathway for the fluid on the surface of the
porous material. In certain aspects, the at least one fluidic
pathway is an open channel exposed to an external environment. The
fluidic or microfluidic device may be used for separating a single
stream of distinct components, combining distinct components into a
single stream (e.g., emulsification or formation), testing,
analytics, detection, bioassays, and the like.
[0155] In certain aspects, the disclosure provides methods of
forming features, such as fluidic pathways, that are on a
microscale. In other aspects, the fluidic pathways are on a
macroscale. In some aspects, the feature or pathway is optionally
smaller than a microstructure, such as a nanoscale feature. As used
herein, "macroscale" refers to a feature having at least one
dimension above 100 .mu.m. "Microscale" refers to a feature having
at least one dimension that is less than or equal to about 100
.mu.m, optionally less than or equal to about 50 .mu.m, optionally
less than or equal to about 25 .mu.m, optionally less than or equal
to about 10 .mu.m, and in some aspects, less than or equal to about
1 .mu.m. A "nanoscale" feature has at least one dimension that is
less than or equal to about 100 nm (0.1 .mu.m), optionally less
than or equal to about 50 nm, and optionally less than or equal to
about 10 nm. As used herein, reference to a microscale,
microstructure, micro-channel, or microfluidic channels,
encompasses smaller structures, such as the equivalent nanoscale
structures, as well.
[0156] Thus, in certain aspects, methods are provided for forming a
microscale feature (optionally any structure, like a fluidic
pathway, that is a microstructure or smaller) on a surface of a
porous material substrate. The microscale feature or structure has
a major elongate axis or prominent elongate dimension, which may
far exceed a microscale dimension (e.g., be on a macroscale). In
certain aspects, the first and second surface regions may be
applied as a pattern to the surface of the porous material, for
example, in channels formed by masking the surface and applying a
coating to the unmasked regions of the surface of the porous
material. In certain aspects, the feature or fluidic pathway is an
open channel or feature, meaning that it has at least one exposed
region and does not form an enclosed structure. As described in
further detail below, the at least one fluidic pathway may be
configured to promote two-dimensional transport of a fluid or
alternatively configured to promote three-dimensional transport of
a fluid.
[0157] In accordance with certain other embodiments of the present
disclosure, a fluidic or microfluidic device optionally comprises a
porous material comprising a surface comprising: (i) a first
surface region that comprises a coating that is superhydrophobic,
having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for water and superoleophobic,
having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact angle of greater
than or equal to about 150.degree. for a preselected oil. The
surface also comprises (ii) a second surface region that is
hydrophilic, having a first apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for water and
oleophilic, having a second apparent advancing dynamic contact
angle of less than or equal to about 90.degree. for a preselected
oil. In certain aspects, the fluid or fluids may be a polar liquid,
a non-polar liquid, or combinations thereof. The second surface
region is thus capable of receiving, transferring, and/or storing a
fluid (or fluids). However, the first surface region may repel the
fluid (or fluids). In the microfluidic device, the (i) first
surface region and (ii) second surface region together define at
least one microscale fluidic pathway for the fluid on the surface
of the porous material. In certain aspects, the at least one
fluidic pathway is an open channel pathway. The (i) first surface
region can be applied as a coating on the surface in accordance
with the various principles previously discussed above.
[0158] In certain aspects, the coating of the first surface region
comprises a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface
tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m. In certain
variations, the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane is selected
from a group consisting of: heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl
triethoxysilane, heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl
trichlorosilane, heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl
trichlorosilane, tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl
triethoxysilane, and combinations thereof. In other aspects, the
coating of the first surface region comprises a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of less than or equal
to about 10 mN/m. In certain embodiments, the coating on the
surface defining the first surface region consists essentially of a
low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a surface tension of
less than or equal to about 25 mN/m. In certain variations, the
coating on the first surface region has a ratio of fluorine to
oxygen of greater than or equal to about 2.
[0159] In other aspects, the surface of the porous material
comprises hydroxyl groups, as discussed in previous embodiments
above. Thus, in certain variations, greater than or equal to about
60% of the hydroxyl groups on the porous material are reacted with
the low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane. In certain aspects, the
porous material comprises paper or cellulose. In other aspects, the
porous material comprises a polymeric coating comprising hydroxyl
groups in the areas corresponding to the first surface region, such
as polyvinyl alcohol. Then, the coating comprising low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silanes is disposed over the polymeric coating
to define the first surface region.
[0160] Generally, as noted above, a solid surface can be made more
wettable to liquids by applying a plasma treatment in accordance
with certain variations of the present disclosure, such as oxygen
plasma treatment, after formation of the fluoroalkyl silanized
coating. This is the same phenomenon observed on the HP/OL and
omniphilic fluoro-papers (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A-3B: Quadrants IV and
III). Extreme wettabilities can be thus formed on the porous
material surface comprising the fluoroalkyl silane coating, as
shown in FIGS. 3A-3B. In FIG. 3A, wettability quadrants with
oil-water contact angle axes (from 0.degree. to 180.degree.).
Quadrant I has an omniphobic surface (e.g., all-liquid nonwetting)
from perfluoro silane-coated paper; Quadrant II has a hydrophilic
and oleophobic surface (HL/OP) (e.g., water wetting, but oil
nonwetting) from deep-O.sub.2-plasma-etched perfluoroalkyl
silane-coated paper (with about 200 W/900 seconds of plasma
treatment); Quadrant III, has an omniphilic surface (e.g.,
all-liquid wetting) from middle-O.sub.2-plasma-etched
perfluoroalkyl silane-coated paper (with about 60 seconds plasma
treatment); Quadrant IV, hydrophobic and oleophilic (HP/OL) (e.g.,
water nonwetting, but oil wetting) from light-O.sub.2-plasma-etched
perfluoroalkyl silane-coated paper (with 15 seconds of plasma
treatment). It should be noted that the treatment times discussed
herein are exemplary, but may vary based on different plasma
devices and processing conditions. FIG. 3B shows a continuous
change of surface wettability on fluoroalkyl silane-coated paper by
200 W power O.sub.2 plasma etching. The four extreme wettabilities
(omniphobic, HP/OL, omniphilic and HL/OP) can be achieved in
sequence from 0 seconds to 900 seconds and longer. Water (blue),
ethanol (green), hexane (red) and hexadecane (red) are used for
testing, covering both polar and nonpolar liquids with surface
tensions ranging from 72.8 to 18.4 mN m.sup.-1 (at 20.degree. C.).
"Oil recovery" in nonpolar liquids is observed as the contact angle
of alkanes first reduces and then recovers to the original value or
even higher, with an increased O.sub.2 plasma etching time (FIG.
14).
[0161] Thus, in accordance with certain aspects of the present
teachings, O.sub.2 plasma treatment after formation of the
fluoroalkyl silanized coating can be used to make the surface more
wettable to select liquids/fluids. After a short time (.ltoreq.15
seconds) of O.sub.2 plasma etching (again, at 200 W standard power
unless otherwise indicated), the omniphobic porous material surface
comprising the fluoroalkyl silane coating can be transformed into
HP/OL (FIGS. 2 and 3A-3B). In between, it is a HP/semi-OL state.
This means that the coated surface is nonwetting to water and
alkanes with high carbon number like hexadecane are likewise
nonwetting, but those with low carbon number, like hexane, are
wetting. In this case, SEM and XPS results show that the morphology
of cellulose fibers change very little, but a great increase in
oxygen on surface occurs (FIGS. 15B-1-15B-3). The surface energy is
high enough to .theta.*.sub.adv for the liquids with low surface
tension, like alkanes and ethanol, to be as low as zero (FIG. 14).
However, due to the relatively high surface tension,
.theta.*.sub.adv of water is only decreased, but not zero, e.g.,
water remains nonwetting on the surface. With a longer time of
O.sub.2 plasma etching (for example, up to around 30 seconds), the
fluorine to oxygen (F/O) ratio can reach its minimal value (FIGS.
15D-1-15D-3 and FIG. 15J). In this case, many nanostructures appear
along the cellulose microfibers. This is believed to be caused by
the removal of amorphous parts in cellulose fibers and the exposure
of crystalline cellulose nanofibrils. After 60 seconds of plasma
etching, induced by increased surface roughness (FIGS.
15E-1-15E-3), water is now wetting, by which the porous material
surface comprising the fluoroalkyl silane coating becomes
omniphilic (FIGS. 2 and 3B).
[0162] With even longer durations of O.sub.2 plasma etching, rather
than making the omniphilic fluoroalkyl silanized coating more
wettable, a HL/OP extreme wettability appears on the fluoro-paper
(FIG. 3A, Quadrant II). This phenomenon is unexpected and is not
believed to have been reported or observed before.
Counter-intuitively, upon further increasing the O.sub.2 plasma
etching time, rather than making the omniphilic surface more
wettable, the plasma treatment yields the HL/OP extreme wettability
(FIG. 3B). When the O.sub.2 plasma etching time was greater than
300 seconds, the surface became non-wettable for hexadecane and for
the etching times greater than 900 seconds, the surface became
non-wettable for even hexane.
[0163] This abnormal trend is referred here as "oil recovery," as
this decrease of wettability reflected in the recovery on
.theta.*.sub.adv is predominantly observed among non-polar liquids
such as alkanes like hexadecane and hexane (FIG. 14). When the
etching time is above 300 seconds, a recovery on .theta.*.sub.adv
of alkanes-designated "oil recovery"--can be clearly observed
(FIGS. 3B and 14). Interestingly, the oil recovery only occurs with
nonpolar liquids. For the polar liquids, like water and ethanol,
.theta.*.sub.adv remains at zero.
[0164] To determine the cause of this unusual trend, SEM and XPS
characterizations are used to analyze the changes and details on
both surface roughness and chemistry (FIGS. 15F-1-15F-3 and
15I-1-15I-3). It is found that after F/O ratio reaches its minimal
value around 30 seconds of etching, it is then subsequently
recovered with additional treatment. It is believed that this kind
of fluorine element recovery is caused by re-deposition of
fluorocarbon fragments on an O.sub.2 plasma-etched surface.
Meanwhile with further oxygen plasma etching, the surface of
cellulose microfibers become rougher and rougher, with more and
more crystalline nanofibrils being exposed. Believed to be caused
by a synergetic effect from both enhancement in roughness and
recovered fluorine content on surface, alkanes become nonwetting or
in certain variations, even superoleophobic, like hexadecane
(.theta.*.sub.adv C16 is 154.3.degree. on 900 seconds-etched
fluoroalkyl silane-coated paper).
[0165] Generally, if a surface cannot be wetted by oil, like
alkanes, wetting from water is even more difficult. This is because
the surface tension of water is much higher than those of alkanes.
However, after a redeposition of fluorocarbon fragments, a binary
reconfigurable surface is believed to result. In this case, if a
polar liquid, like water, contacts the surface, the polar groups,
like hydroxyls along cellulose fibers, will cover the nonpolar
groups (fluorocarbon deposits) on the surface to lower the
interfacial free energy. The result is to make the polar liquid
tend to wet the surface, while the surface is not wet by non-polar
liquids, like hexane. Moreover, on the surface of O.sub.2
plasma-etched cellulose paper, the wetting effect to polar liquids
is further enhanced by the nanoscale roughness (FIGS. 15I-1-15I-3).
Thus, the methods of the present disclosure provide an ability to
control surface energy, roughness and reconfigurability, which
allows creation of surfaces with finely tuned wettability.
Benefiting from the unexpected oil recovery, all four extreme
wettabilities can be created on the fluoroalkyl silane coated-paper
by regulating the O.sub.2 plasma etching time, formed in the
sequence of omniphobic (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A, Quadrant I), HP/OL
(FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A, Quadrant IV), omniphilic (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A,
Quadrant III), and finally to HL/OP (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A, Quadrant
II). This is of great significance not only in patterning paper and
other porous substrates, but also as a powerful tool to further
regulate the wettability of open fluidic channels on paper. As
such, advanced fluid control motifs can be achieved and integrated
into open-channel paper-based fluidic devices.
[0166] Because the O.sub.2 plasma etching employed is directional
in nature, only a portion of the surface of the fluoroalkyl
silane-coated paper is modified. In other words, the liquid can be
well confined to a predetermined depth from the paper surface,
rather than wet the whole layer of paper (FIG. 10C, FIG. 16A). This
can be beneficial in lowering sample retention (e.g., the
ineffective sample consumption used for reaching work or detection
zones). For example, in a fluidic channel with the dimensions of 50
mm (length).times.2 mm (width).times.390 m (thickness of paper),
the volume is 39 .mu.L. If the liquid is confined to a wetting
depth of 100 .mu.m, the volume is reduced down to 10 .mu.L, which
is almost 75% less liquid retention.
[0167] By way of further explanation, based on the four extreme
wettabilities (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A), where a low surface energy
fluoroalkyl silane is first applied to a porous substrate (such as
paper), the patterning of the coated fluoro-papers can be grouped
into four stages. At a first stage without etching, the fluoroalkyl
silane-coated paper is omniphobic like the remainder of the coated
background of the paper. Next, in the second stage, with less than
15 seconds of etching, the fluoro-paper is transformed into HP/OL.
In this case, both wetting length and wetting velocity of water are
still close to zero due to its high surface tension (72.8 mN
m.sup.-1) (water ribbons in FIGS. 10B, 10D). However, for low
surface tension liquids, either polar or nonpolar, they can wet a
certain length (FIG. 10A).
[0168] Polarity of each liquid must be considered. This can be
explained by the local movement of three-phase contact line (TCL)
of liquid on a cellulose microfiber. Locally, a cellulose
microfiber surface can be considered as quasi-smooth. If the local
movement of TCL happens spontaneously, it means that the free
energy change during wetting (.DELTA.G.sub.wetting) should be
negative. .DELTA.G.sub.wetting can be expressed in the following
equation,
.DELTA.G.sub.wetting=(.gamma..sub.SL+.gamma..sub.LG cos
.theta.)-.gamma..sub.SG
where .gamma..sub.SL, .gamma..sub.LG, .gamma..sub.SG are the
interfacial tensions between the solid and the liquid, the liquid
and the vapor, and the solid and the vapor, respectively. .theta.
is the instant local contact angle. On the HP/OL fluoroalkyl
silane-coated paper, due to the difference of solid-liquid
interaction between the liquid and the etched surface,
.gamma..sub.SL from polar liquids could be lower than that from
nonpolar liquids with similar or even lower .gamma..sub.LG. So, the
tendency of a polar liquid with a relatively high surface tension
(like DMF) to wet the surface could be even higher than that of a
nonpolar liquid (like hexadecane).
[0169] Subsequently, in the third stage with 60 seconds of etching,
the surface of fluoroalkyl silane-coated paper becomes omniphilic.
In this case, water, DMF and ethanol can fill the entire channel
that is 50 mm long. The maximal wetting velocity for the three
polar liquids is slightly different in the forward and backward
direction based on etching time and depending on a lower or higher
surface tension (ethanol 30 seconds, DMF 60 seconds, water 120
seconds). Hexane experiences a slightly increased wetting length
compared with that on the HP/OL stage and reaches maximum in both
wetting length and wetting velocity on the 60 second-etched
surface. Due to a stronger affection of oil recovery, both wetting
length and wetting velocity of hexadecane go down after they reach
a maximum on the 15 second-etched surface. Among the polar liquids,
acetone and chloroform behave differently. The wetting length of
acetone reaches a maximum on the 60 second-etched surface, but the
maximal wetting velocity is from 120 second etching. To chloroform,
from 5 second to 900 second etching, it shows two peaks in wetting
length. One is from the 15 second-etched surface, the other is from
the 120 second-etched surface. In addition, on the 120
second-etched surface, the wetting velocity of chloroform reaches
its maximum.
[0170] With a longer etching time of around 900 seconds, the
channels proceed to the fourth stage in HL/OP behavior. In this
case, both hexadecane and hexane are beaded-up. Only water and DMF
can still fill the entire 50 mm long channel. However, water and
DMF also show a decline in wetting velocity. The wetting length and
wetting velocity from ethanol, acetone and chloroform are greatly
decreased. From this point, the oil recovery effect can also affect
polar liquids in their wetting length and wetting velocity.
[0171] Therefore, in certain variations, the present disclosure
contemplates methods of making a fluidic or microfluidic device
that comprises a porous material comprising a surface comprising:
(i) a first surface region exhibiting an extreme wettability and
(ii) a second surface region, distinct from the first surface
region, exhibiting a second, distinct wettability, as discussed
above. As shown in FIG. 5, a porous material is a cellulose filter
paper that is used as a substrate 20. A surface of the porous
surface is first treated via a vapor-phase deposition of a low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane to form a coating 30 thereon.
Next, the coated porous material surface is masked with a mask 40
defining a pattern having a predetermined geometry with
predetermined dimensions. In certain aspects, suitable masks may
include KAPTON.TM. tapes (S-14532, S-10518, S-7595) commercially
available from Uline. Next, the select surface regions of the
masked porous material surface are exposed to etching, for example,
plasma treatment like oxygen (O.sub.2) plasma etching, for a
predetermined amount of time. The masked substrate 40 may thus be
selectively treated by O.sub.2 plasma etching (e.g., a
PLASMATHERM.TM. 790, chamber vacuum 20 Torr, O.sub.2 flow rate 20
sccm, bias RF source power 200 W-350 W) to obtain multiplexed
treated surface 50 on paper chips shown in FIG. 5. The multiplexed
treated surface 50 has first regions 52 and second regions 54 and
exhibits extreme wettability. First regions 52 correspond to those
having the fluoroalkyl silane coating 30 intact. The plasma (e.g.,
oxygen plasma) etches the exposed unmasked regions of the surface
of the substrate 20 comprising the fluoroalkyl silane coating 30
during the process, so that there is minimal or no fluoroalkyl
silane coating 30 remaining in those second surface regions 54.
[0172] By using localized plasma etching, extreme wettabilities can
be selectively integrated on the surface of porous substrates, like
paper, which offers an effective and facile method to fabricate
advanced paper-based fluidic devices. Thus, the first surface
region comprising the fluoroalkyl silane coating will repel fluids
(e.g., is omniphobic or has other extreme wettability), while the
second surface region of the porous material is capable of being
wetted with fluids (e.g., is omniphilic, hydrophilic, or
oleophilic). As such, a patterned microfluidic device can be
formed. These extreme wettabilities combined with increased fluid
control are useful in advanced applications for open-channel
fluidic devices, such as paper alcoholmeter, continuous surface
oil-water separation, surface emulsification and three-dimensional
(3D) all-liquid fluidic chips, by way of non-limiting example.
[0173] FIG. 8 shows a paper-based microfluidic device prepared by
patterning a porous material having a surface coated with low
energy fluoroalkyl silanes defining a background region that is
omniphobic (hydrophobic and oleophobic). The fluid pathways are
plasma etched are omniphilic (hydrophilic and oleophilic). Water,
heptane, hexane, acetone, methanol, and ethanol are placed on the
background area, as well as in the fluidic channels. All of the
fluids are repelled on the omniphobic background, while all of the
fluids are wetted in the omniphilic channels.
[0174] FIG. 9 shows various omniphilic fluidic pathways etched via
oxygen plasma treatment within the omniphobic coated surface
comprising low energy fluoroalkyl silanes prepared in accordance
with certain aspects of the present teachings. The patterned
omniphilic fluidic pathways have complex shapes and sizes. The
channels have been fully wetted by a fluid to better show the
patterned regions. Thus, various complex and intricate features,
such as continuous or discontinuous fluidic channels, can be formed
in accordance with the present teachings.
[0175] Thus, microfluidic devices can be formed by processes that
optionally comprise applying fluoroalkyl silane, for example, by
vapor phase deposition, on cellulose paper and then treating with
an etching step, for example, O.sub.2 plasma post-treatment
etching. In this manner, selective integration of extreme
wettabilities for different fluids or liquids on a piece of paper
or other porous material is provided, including omniphobic, (HP/OL)
and omniphilic properties. With this technique, the four possible
combinations of extreme wettabilities, including omniphobic (e.g.,
non-wetting to all liquids), omniphilic (e.g., wetting to all
liquids), hydrophilic-oleophobic (HL/OP, e.g., wetting for water or
other polar liquids, but nonwetting for oil or other nonpolar
liquids, like alkanes) and reversely hydrophobic-oleophilic (HP/OL,
e.g., non-wetting for water and other polar liquids, but wetting
for oil and other non-polar liquid) can be achieved on a porous
material surface, such as a paper surface (FIGS. 2 and 3A-3B).
These extreme wettabilities combined with increased fluid control
are useful in advanced applications for open-channel fluidic
devices, such as paper alcoholmeter, continuous surface oil-water
separation, surface emulsification and three-dimensional (3D)
all-liquid fluidic chips.
[0176] Moreover, by local plasma etching or other post-coating
treatment, a variety of different extreme wettabilities can be
selectively integrated on the surface of the paper (or textile)
having the fluoroalkyl silane coating, which provides the ability
to fabricate advanced paper-based fluidic devices. The omniphobic
surface on the porous material comprising a fluoroalkyl silane
(FIGS. 1, 2, and 3A-3B: Quadrant I), is a starting point of the
following design. For example, the coating comprising a fluoroalkyl
silane reacted with hydroxyl groups on a surface of the porous
paper material can be considered to be deep fluorosilanization via
vapor deposition. In one example, a suitable cellulose filter paper
is commercially available from Whatman as the WHATMAN-G3, having a
nominal pore size of 6 .mu.m, an overall diameter of 150 mm, and a
thickness of 390 .mu.m. The paper is a target disposed in a vapor
deposition chamber. A fluoroalkyl silane comprises
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trichlorosilane
(SIH5841.0). A dose of about 400 .mu.L of
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trichlorosilane is
introduced to the vapor deposition chamber, such as a vacuum oven
(General Electric Precision). See FIG. 22 for an exemplary reaction
schematic of SIH5841.0 forming a deep silanization coating on a
cellulose paper to form a so-called "fluoropaper" in accordance
with certain aspects of the present teachings. The temperature
during vapor deposition is 50.degree. C., with a vacuum of -30
inches Hg, with no pre-pumping. The vapor deposition process is
conducted for 17-18 hours. After deposition, the coated paper can
be soaked in a solvent or other post-treatment agent, such as
ASAHIKLIN.RTM. AK-225 (neat) is 100% dichloropentafluoropropane
(HCFC-225) to remove an unreacted fluorosilanes. The coated surface
of the paper may be soaked in the post-treatment agent for about 20
hours. After forming the fluoroalkyl silane coating, O.sub.2 plasma
post-treatment can be used to further modify the surface
properties.
[0177] To make a multiplex patterned fluoroalkyl silane coated
paper, the sample surface is first masked with predetermined
geometry and dimensions, then exposed under O.sub.2 plasma etching
for a certain time (as described above in the context of FIG. 5).
Seven different liquids, water (blue), DMF (pink), chloroform
(black), acetone (purplish gray), ethanol (light pink), hexane
(wine) and hexadecane (dark red), covering polar and nonpolar
liquids and with surface tension varying from 72.8 mN m.sup.-1 to
18.4 mN m.sup.-1 at 20.degree. C., are used here for testing. A
whole set of fluid behavior in 2D lateral flow on fluoro-paper is
obtained (FIG. 10A). On each fluoroalkyl silane-coated paper chip,
there are seven straight channels with the dimensions of 50 mm
(length).times.2 mm (width). A thickness of the paper is 390 .mu.m.
Each channel is impregnated with 20 .mu.L testing liquid.
[0178] From these seven channels, the fluid behavior in lateral
flow is obtained under room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Three parameters--maximum wetting length (the maximum horizontal
distance the liquid front covers) (FIG. 10B, Table 2), average
wetting velocity (maximum wetting length divided by the total
wetting time) (FIG. 10D, Table 3), and wetting depth (the vertical
distance the impregnated liquid can reach) (FIG. 10C, Table
4)--which directly relate to device design and application, are
systematically studied.
[0179] Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS) results show that after the deep fluorination,
there is little change in surface morphology, but a great increase
of fluorine element on surface (FIGS. 15A-1-15A-3). This
perfluorinated surface has an ultralow surface energy and a certain
roughness, which can keep all kinds of liquid from wetting. Contact
angles on deep fluorinated omniphobic fluoro-paper prepared in
accordance with this example are shown in FIG. 13. The apparent
advancing contact angle of water (.theta.*.sub.adv H.sub.2O) on the
perfluoro-paper is above 160.degree.. The minimal surface tension
of oil, such as alkanes, can go down to 18.4 mN m.sup.-1 from
hexane (.theta.*.sub.adv C6 is 91.30). For polar liquids, the
lowest record is achieved from ethanol with a typical surface
tension of 22.3 mN m.sup.-1 (.theta.*.sub.adv EtOH is
112.1.degree.).
[0180] To better understand flow in a porous material, such as
those formed in accordance with the present teachings, the Washburn
may be used to describe the one-dimensional transport of fluids in
porous materials,
L 2 = .gamma. Dt cos .theta. 4 .eta. , ##EQU00004##
where L is the distance covered by the front of a liquid with
dynamic viscosity .eta. and surface tension .gamma., D is the
average pore diameter, t is the time, and .theta. is the contact
angle. (.gamma. cos .theta./4.eta.) is the coefficient of
penetrance.
[0181] In experiments or practical applications, deviations from
the Washburn equation may arise for several reasons: i) a limiting
reservoir or constrained flow (e.g. in the case where a narrow
channel connects to a wider channel), ii) non-constant
cross-sectional area within the liquid channel, iii) variations in
the paper properties (e.g. pore size, purity), and iv) influences
from the environment (e.g. gravity, ambient temperature,
evaporation from liquid front).
[0182] To theoretically obtain Washburn flow in a porous material,
the local contact angle of a liquid should be close to zero. So,
while not limiting the present teachings to any particular theory,
the phenomena observed on porous material surface subjected to deep
silanization treatment with a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
followed by etching to obtain extreme wettability in accordance
with certain aspects of the present teachings, where liquids can
wet the O.sub.2 plasma-etched surface is considered to be a
hemi-wicking rather than Washburn mechanism. Because in this case
the apparent contact angle is zero though, the local contact angle
is not. If a liquid undergoes hemi-wicking in a porous material, it
can mean that wetting is not infinite and it will stop flow at a
certain wetting length.
[0183] Here, in this example, each 20 .mu.L of test liquid is
considered as a limiting reservoir. The width of channels is 2 mm
and the depth depends on O.sub.2 plasma etching time and the
wettability of the test liquid (see Table 4 below). For a fixed
etching time and test liquid, the cross-sectional area within a
channel is assumed to be constant. Porosity (6 .mu.m) and chemical
purity of the cellulose papers are assumed to be constant too. The
paper chips are horizontally positioned on the bench during
testing, so the influence of gravity on lateral flow is negligible.
However, evaporation from the liquid front is taken into account,
especially for liquids with low boiling points (b.p.). With these
concepts and the Washburn equation in mind, the capillary flow is
mainly determined by hydrophilicity (cos) and
surface-tension-viscosity ratio (.gamma./.eta.). Without O.sub.2
plasma etching, the fluoro-paper is omniphobic, as is the
background area on paper chips, and all liquids bead up with
.theta.*.sub.adv greater than 90.degree. (FIG. 13). Therefore, the
maximum wetting length is close to zero. In the opposite and fully
wetted case (i.e., cos .theta.=1), capillary flow appears to be
dependent solely on (.gamma./.eta.). If the channels can be fully
wetted by the test liquids, the order of wetting velocity should be
consistent with (.gamma./.eta.) (Table 1):
acetone>water>hexane>chloroform>DMF>ethanol>hexadecane.
[0184] The wetting velocity can be greatly affected by both surface
tension and polarity of the target liquid (FIG. 10D). For example,
comparing hexane with hexadecane, both are nonpolar liquids, but
hexane is of a lower surface tension (18.4 mN m.sup.-1) than
hexadecane (27.5 mN m.sup.-1). The wetting length and wetting
velocity of hexane are much higher than those of hexadecane. A
similar concept is observed from the wetting length and wetting
velocity of acetone (surface tension 23.3 mN m.sup.-1) and ethanol
(surface tension 22.3 mN m.sup.-1). But if chloroform or DMF are
compared with hexadecane, the surface tension of chloroform (27.2
mN m.sup.-1) or DMF (36.8 mN m.sup.-1) is close to or even higher
than hexadecane (27.5 mN m.sup.-1), however, the wetting length and
wetting velocity of the two polar liquids are higher than those of
hexadecane (FIG. 10D). Therefore, surface tension is not the only
factor that can affect the wetting behavior.
[0185] Table 1 below shows liquid properties (surface tension,
viscosity, polarity index, boiling point (b.p.)) of the seven test
liquids. Values with an asterisk show maximum values from each row,
while values with a cross are the minimum values. The same notation
is used in Tables 2-4 for maximum and minimum levels.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Chloro- Water DMF form Acetone Ethanol
Hexane Hexadecane Surface tension (mN/m at 20.degree. C.) 72.8*
36.8 27.2 23.3 22.3 18.4.dagger. 27.5 Viscosity (mPa s at
20.degree. C.) 1.00 0.92 0.57 0.31.dagger. 1.10 0.31.dagger. 3.01
(25.degree. C.)* Surface-tension-viscosity ratio (m/s at 20.degree.
C.) 72.8 40.0 47.7 75.2* 20.3 59.4 9.1.dagger. Polarity index 10.2*
6.4 4.1 5.1 5.2 0.1.dagger. 0.1.dagger. b.p. (.degree. C.) 100.0
152.0 61.2 56.0.dagger. 78.4 68.7 271.0* *Maximum value
.dagger.Minimum value
[0186] Table 2 shows a maximum wetting length, i.e. the maximum
horizontal distance the liquid front covers for the seven liquids
tested.
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 O.sub.2 plasma Maximum wetting length (mm)
etching time/ Chloro- Ace- Etha- Hexa- 200 W (s) Water DMF form
tone nol Hexane decane 0 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 3.8 5 4.0.dagger.
7.2 9.6 11.6 16.0 25.0* 6.9 15 5.8.dagger. 36.4 23.5 42.7 50* 39.5
33.5 30 10.7.dagger. 50* 21.5 43.7 50* 40.5 23.6 60 50* 50*
20.0.dagger. 45.5 50* 42.6 24.6 120 50* 50* 34.5 42.5 50* 38.6
21.4.dagger. 300 50* 50* 13.0 30.9 37.6 25.5 3.8.dagger. 600 50*
50* 13.6 27.0 35.2 22.1 3.8.dagger. 900 50* 50* 14.2 21.4 31.8
3.8.dagger. 3.8.dagger. *Maximum value .dagger.Minimum value
[0187] Table 3 shows average wetting velocity, i.e. maximum wetting
length divided by the total wetting time.
TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 O.sub.2 plasma Average wetting velocity
(mm/s) etching time/ Chloro- Ace- Etha- Hexa- 200 W (s) Water DMF
form tone nol Hexane decane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 0.dagger. 0.dagger.
0.dagger. 0.50 0.43 1.04* 0.dagger. 15 0.dagger. 0.14 0.56 2.03
2.27* 1.88 0.08 30 0.47 1.35 0.50 2.43 2.63* 2.25 0.06.dagger. 60
0.16 1.67 0.21 2.28 1.85 2.84* 0.05.dagger. 120 0.81 1.00 0.82
2.66* 1.39 2.27 0.01.dagger. 300 0.25 0.61 0.14 1.82* 0.63 1.70
0.dagger. 600 0.15 0.16 0.10 0.73 0.35 0.88* 0.dagger. 900 0.15
0.10 0.12 0.40* 0.25 0.dagger. 0.dagger. *Maximum value
.dagger.Minimum value
[0188] Table 4 shows a wetting depth, i.e. the vertical distance
the impregnated liquid can reach.
TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 O.sub.2 plasma Wetting depth (.mu.m) etching
time/ Chloro- Ace- Etha- Hexa- 200 W (s) Water DMF form tone nol
Hexane decane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 52 75 94* 66 56 94* 28.dagger. 15
65.dagger. 94 103 81 85 108* 66 30 93 101 92 69 70 149* 58.dagger.
60 85.dagger. 160 89 240 273* 211 94 120 116 202 99 273 287* 226
99.dagger. 300 160.dagger. 273 197 282 301* 230 216 600 183 291 240
318 321* 291 150.dagger. 900 211.dagger. 305 245 339 341* 310
211.dagger.
[0189] For a certain liquid, the capillary flow is only related to
its wettability or hydrophilicity (cos .theta.). For all seven test
liquids, the wetting velocity reaches a peak value within the
O.sub.2 plasma etching times tested (Table 3). The disruption of
the order indicates that, with 5 seconds to 900 seconds of O.sub.2
plasma etching, the fluoro-paper surface prepared in accordance
with certain variations of the present disclosure will not be
turned into a fully wettable state. This point, which is consistent
with the XPS results (FIG. 15J) and the proposed redeposition of
fluorocarbon fragments on the O.sub.2 plasma-etched surface, is the
basis to realize all the four extreme wettabilities on the
fluoro-paper surface.
[0190] Moreover, it should be noted that, for all the seven test
liquids, the wetting velocity reaches a peak value within the
O.sub.2 plasma etching times tested (FIG. 10D, Table 3). The
decline after peak value can be also attributed to the oil recovery
effect on wettability discussed above. Due to the redeposition of
fluorocarbon fragments, the non-polar liquids become non-wetting,
and the polar liquids can still wet but need to take a longer time
to complete the reconfiguration process at the solid-liquid
interface. The similar peak trend is also reflected in maximum
wetting length (FIG. 10B).
[0191] Theoretically, the wetting length of capillary flow is
infinite if the liquid channel is fully wettable, connected to a
non-limiting reservoir and evaporation is negligible. However,
here, each channel is fed by 20 .mu.L of test liquid (a limiting
reservoir) to mimic practical application. For certain liquids, the
maximum wetting length is found to be strongly influenced by the
evaporation from the liquid front. For example, liquids with
relatively low boiling point (b.p.), like acetone, chloroform and
hexane, cannot reach a wetting length that fills the entire 50 mm
channel in the case of each channel being fed only by 20 .mu.L of
test liquid, even at peak wetting velocities. In comparison,
liquids, such as water, DMF and ethanol with relatively high b.p.,
can fill the entire 50 mm channel over a wide range of etching
times (FIG. 10A, Table 2). During O.sub.2 plasma etching, only the
very surface of the sample paper can be influenced or etched, with
the other parts remaining in the original omniphobicity. It offers
a possibility to confine liquid to a certain depth from the paper
surface rather than wet the entire thickness of the paper (FIGS.
16A, 10D-10E, and Table 4). This is greatly beneficial in lowering
the sample retention (i.e. the unproductive sample consumption in
reaching work or detection zones).
[0192] In summary, as etching time increases on the fluoroalkyl
silanized coatings on porous materials, for polar liquids with
relatively high surface tension, such as for water and DMF, the
wetting length is gradually increased until the liquids fills the
entire volume of the channel. For polar liquids with relatively low
surface tension, like chloroform, acetone and ethanol, wetting
length is first increased and then decreased, but remains wetting
even on the final HL/OP stage. For nonpolar liquids like alkanes,
wetting length is also firstly increased and then decreased, but
finally on the HL/OP stage, the non-polar liquids are beaded-up.
The maximal wetting velocity of each liquid comes with its largest
wetting length (water 120 seconds, DMF 60 seconds, chloroform 120
seconds, acetone 120 seconds, ethanol 30 seconds, hexane 60
seconds, hexadecane 15 seconds). It should be mentioned that, with
an increasing O.sub.2 plasma etching and porous nature of the
cellulose paper, there might be widening effect of the fluidic
channels. From the experimental results, the widening effect on
water and hexadecane is negligible (FIG. 10A, FIG. 16B). For the
other low surface tension polar and nonpolar liquids, a
considerable widening only occurs after the liquid reaches its
maximal wetting velocity.
[0193] Accordingly, after studying how to control two dimensional
(2D) lateral flow on fluoroalkyl silane-coated paper, several
examples of novel paper-based fluidic devices formed in accordance
with the principles of the present disclosure are prepared. For
example, in a first microfluidic device design, a porous material
comprising paper has a treated surface. The surface has a deep
silanization treatment with a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
to form a hydrophobic and oleophobic coating thereon that can
define a first surface region. After masking portions of the
silanized coating, the first stage of O.sub.2 plasma etching is
conducted for a first predetermined time (e.g., about 15 seconds)
to form a second surface region distinct from the first surface
region. The second surface region, thus treated, is hydrophobic and
oleophilic. In this variation, water is nonwetting, but ethanol is
wetting (see, e.g., FIG. 3A, Quadrant IV). This shows a
surface-tension-dependency of wetting behavior, i.e., the lower the
surface tension, the larger the wetting length. The surface tension
of water-ethanol mixture is going down with an increased ethanol
proportion (FIG. 17). This can be directly reflected on the paper
alcoholmeter as an increase in wetting length from pure water to
pure ethanol (FIG. 11A).
[0194] Such a microfluidic device can be free of any pumps and used
as an analytical or detection device, such as a paper alcohol meter
(FIG. 11A) in one embodiment. Thus, a set of hydrophobic and
oleophilic (HP/OL) channels can be formed on a paper chip for use
as a paper alcoholmeter. The second surface regions in this example
define a series of HP/OL straight channels (50 mm long and 2 mm
wide) that are prepared by masking the fluoroalkyl silanized
coating and then O.sub.2 plasma etching at 200 W/15 seconds.
Notably, any of the dimensions described herein are merely
exemplary. Each channel is filled with 10 .mu.L of water-ethanol
mixture in a series of volume concentration of ethanol (from left
to right, 0% (or 100% pure water dyed in blue), 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%
and 100% (pure ethanol dyed in red)) (FIG. 11A). The wetting length
from each channel can be read out as 5.5 mm (0%), 5.8 mm (20%), 8.0
mm (40%), 15.2 mm (60%), 24.5 mm (80%) and 34.5 mm (100%),
respectively.
[0195] In these HP/OL channels, pure water beads up, while pure
ethanol wets. This result shows a surface-tension-dependency on
maximum wetting length. The lower the surface tension, the larger
the maximum wetting length. The surface tension of water-ethanol
mixture decreases with an increasing ethanol percentage, and is
quantitatively shown by the paper alcoholmeter as an increasing
maximum wetting length from pure water to pure ethanol.
[0196] In another microfluidic device design, a porous material
comprising paper has a coated surface. As discussed above, the
present disclosure contemplates a porous surface having a surface
exhibiting a plurality of distinct extreme wettabilities, including
three or more distinct wettability characteristics. In this
variation, the porous substrate has a first surface region
exhibiting hydrophobic and oleophobic properties, a second surface
region exhibiting hydrophobic and oleophilic properties, as well as
a third distinct surface region exhibiting hydrophilic and
oleophobic properties. Such an integrated fluidic pathway or
channel can be designed as an operation unit for continuous surface
oil-water separation (see apparatus set up in FIG. 11B). To create
such a surface, the porous material surface is subjected to a deep
silanization treatment with a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
to form a hydrophobic and oleophobic (omniphobic) coating thereon
that can define a first surface region.
[0197] In this variation, the porous substrate may be masked with a
plurality of distinct masks or may be subjected to distinct masking
processes. After masking portions of the silanized coating in a
first masking step, the first stage of O.sub.2 plasma etching is
conducted for 15 seconds to form a second surface region distinct
from the first surface region. In this variation, the second
surface region exhibits hydrophobic and oleophilic (HP/OL)
properties. Then, a second mask can be used, which covers the
second treated surface region and portions of the first surface
region. In the second stage of O.sub.2 plasma etching, the unmasked
portions of the surface are subjected to oxygen plasma for at least
about 900 seconds to form a third surface region distinct from the
first surface region. The third surface region exhibits hydrophilic
and oleophobic (HL/OP) properties. In this manner, the second
surface region defines a fluid pathway having hydrophobic and
oleophilic (HP/OL) properties and the third surface region defines
a second distinct fluid pathway having hydrophilic and oleophobic
(HL/OP).
[0198] Thus, the fluidic device may include a first surface region,
a second surface region, and a third surface, which each have
distinct properties, such as distinct wettabilities. The first and
second surface regions may together define a first fluidic pathway
for receiving, transferring, and/or storing a first fluid. The
second and third surface regions may together define a second
fluidic pathway for receiving, transferring, and/or storing a
second distinct fluid. In certain aspects, the first fluidic
pathway and the second fluidic pathway intersect with one another
at one or more points. In this manner, the fluidic device can be
used to either separate the first fluid from the second fluid (if
they are combined in a single stream) or alternatively to combine
the first fluid and the second fluid together into a single stream.
It should be noted that additional distinct surface regions, in
addition to the first, second, and third surface regions having
distinct wettabilities may be formed, thus forming a plurality of
additional distinct fluidic pathways.
[0199] These integrated fluidic flow pathways or channels can thus
be employed as an operation unit for continuous surface
liquid-liquid extraction (e.g., oil-water separation) as shown in
the exemplary device in FIG. 11B and FIG. 23A. FIG. 11B shows a
photograph of a device for continuous surface oil-water separation
with a paper-based microfluidic substrate. The substrate has a
hydrophobic (HP)/oleophilic (OL) channel integrated and overlapping
in a head-to-head design with a hydrophilic (HL)/oleophobic (OP)
channel, which are used as an operation unit for oil and water
separation on the surface of the substrate. The substrate with
channels and device are fabricated as follows. A first HP/OL
channel is fabricated and overlaps or is head-to-head with a HL/OP
channel on fluoro-paper, as shown in FIG. 23A. A HP/OL channel
(left side of FIG. 23A, treated by O.sub.2 plasma etching for 15
seconds) is integrated with a HL/OP channel (right side of FIG.
23A, treated by O.sub.2 plasma etching for 900 seconds). The HP/OL
and HL/OP channels are thus head-to-head and may be used as an
operation unit for oil-water separation on surface (FIG. 23B). This
complex head-to-head channel is designed as an operation unit for
continuous surface oil-water separation (FIG. 11B).
[0200] Heptane (oil)-water mixture is used for demonstration.
Heptane is pre-mixed with water in a premixing head before
channeled to the central reservoir. As shown in FIG. 11B, a
heptane-water mixture is added into a central reservoir through a
premixing head in a total flow rate of 100 .mu.L/min, and pure
heptane and water are collected at distinct ends of the separation
substrate/unit. Two pieces of untreated filter paper are used as
guiding strips to link each channel and liquid collector. In FIG.
11B, the heptane-water mixture is channeled to the fluidic device
comprising a central reservoir via a premixing head. The
heptane-water mixture is spontaneously separated and pure heptane
and water are collected at each end of the separation substrate
unit. By this, oil-water separation is realized on the surface of a
piece of paper, based solely on the difference in surface
wettabilities. Pure heptane and pure water are collected at each
end of the channel. Accordingly, the heptane-water mixture can be
spontaneously separated and pure heptane and water can be collected
at each end of the unit. FIG. 11C shows a purity check after
separation from the guiding strips. Heptane (red strip) and water
(blue strip) from each liquid collector after separation are shown.
The end marked "Up" is put upward in the liquid collector during
separation. This demonstrates oil-water separation on a single
piece of paper by using only the difference of surface
wettabilities.
[0201] FIGS. 24B-24H show other paper-based microfluidic
applications designed with integrated extreme wettabilities for
oil-water separation according to certain aspects of the present
disclosure. FIG. 24B shows a multiplexed oil-water separator
configuration in accordance with yet other aspects of the present
disclosure based on a similar principle to that described just
above. The same O.sub.2 plasma treatment methodology as described
above is used here. Four HP/OL and four HL/OP channels are radially
arranged from a central reservoir. The multiplexed oil-water
separator can be used to separate and dispense a heptane-water
mixture automatically and continuously. Automatic separation and
dispensing of heptane-water mixture is achieved based on use of
this separator unit.
[0202] Continuous surface liquid-liquid extraction is also
accomplished in accordance with other aspects of the present
disclosure with a HP/OL channel arranged side-by-side with a HL/OP
channel on fluoro-paper as shown in FIG. 24C. A HP/OL channel is
integrated with a HL/OP channel side-by-side and used as an
operation unit for liquid-liquid extraction on the surface. FIGS.
24D-24F are magnified portions of FIG. 24C that show the details of
the three zones in HP/OL channel and the dye ribbon in HL/OP
channel.
[0203] The feed is mixture of octane and ethanol, which is dyed in
blue, and the extractant of DI water. The flow rate of the feed and
the extractant are controlled individually by syringe pump at rates
of 50 .mu.L/min for both streams. The HL/OP channel is first filled
with DI water, which can be precisely confined in its lane or
channel. Then, the oily feed is impregnated into the HP/OL channel
to show a clear and stable oil-water interface. After the system
reaches its stable stage, three zones in the HP/OL channel and a
dye ribbon in the HL/OP channel can be clearly observed (FIGS.
24D-24F). This shows that most of the ethanol (and dye) is
extracted from the oily phase to aqueous phase. This is also proved
by a quantitative measure of the refractive index of the feed and
the extractant before and after extraction (FIGS. 23C-23D). As a
control experiment, a failure to form such a clear and stable
oil-water interface from a design of two side-by-side omniphilic
channels is also tested. Without the selectivity in wettability
between oil and water, the oily liquid, due to its lower surface
tension, will always cut and displace water and form an irregular
and/or random oil-water interface in omniphilic open-channels. The
lack in control of liquids from no-selectivity design impairs many
open-channel microfluidic applications.
[0204] To date, open-channel paper-based fluidic chips are mainly
designed and used for analysis or detection of analytes. Preparing
open-channel paper-based fluidic chips would also be desirable. The
fluidic design can enable joining or reaction of distinct streams,
for example, emulsification and the like. In certain variations, an
integrated fluidic device comprising a porous material with a
surface comprising a first surface region and second surface
region, where at least one of the surface regions has an extreme
wettability, with typical flow focusing geometry is contemplated.
For example, the surface of the paper substrate may comprise a
first surface region exhibiting hydrophobic and oleophilic (HP/OL)
properties and a second surface region exhibiting hydrophilic and
oleophobic (HL/OP) properties, where the paper substrate is used as
a fluidic unit with a typical flow focusing geometry is provided
(FIGS. 11D, 18, and 19A-19C).
[0205] Microfluidic-channel emulsification can be realized with
this design for the first time on an open surface (FIGS. 11D, 18,
and 19A-19B). A water channel is HL/OP and prepared by O.sub.2
plasma etching for a duration of 300 seconds at 200 W, while the
precursor channel is HP/OL and prepared by O.sub.2 plasma etching
at 15 seconds again at 200 W.
[0206] External fluid (98% wt. water and 2% wt. SDS commercially
available from Hoefer) is first pumped into to fill the water
channel, followed by the impregnation of inner fluid in the
precursor channel. The HP/OL inner fluidic channel is filled with
an inner fluid having a crosslinkable precursor,
1,1,1-trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA, purchased from
Polysciences) and a 5% wt. initiator
(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone, purchased from Sigma Aldrich).
Hence, the outer fluidic channel is HL/OP and initially filled with
an aqueous solution of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The SDS
solution wets and flows only through the HL/OP outer fluidic
channel, avoiding the HP/OL inner fluidic channel. Then, the HP/OL
inner fluidic channel is filled with the cross-linkable precursor
(TMPTA and +initiator). The HP/OL inner fluidic channel is
integrated with a HL/OP channel for outer fluid in a flow-focusing
geometry and used as an operation unit for surface emulsification.
The device is thus used as a continuous operation unit for
open-channel microfluidic emulsification, or namely surface
emulsification.
[0207] The flow rate of external and inner fluids are precisely
controlled by two independent syringe pumps and set as 1500 .mu.L
min.sup.-1 and 5 .mu.L min.sup.-1, respectively and controlled by
syringe pumps (kd Scientific KDS-230). See FIG. 18. Both the
aqueous and organic phases remained within the outer and inner
fluidic channels without any intermixing. This is crucial to keep
the two-phase flow confined within the flow-focusing geometry from
an open channel and to complete surface emulsification. After
crosslinking, the prepared polymeric microparticles are found in
hemispheres with a flat base diameter of around 500 .mu.m (FIG.
3H).
[0208] At a downstream region, a UV lamp is used for cross-linking.
Thus, a 350 nm UV lamp (UVP BLAK-RAY B-100SP, 140 watt/365 nm) is
mounted above the collector to crosslink the precursor emulsion
microdroplets (FIGS. 19A-19B). After crosslinking, the SEM image
shows that the prepared polymeric microparticles are hemispheres
with a diameter of pedestal circle around 500 .mu.m (FIG. 11E). The
surface emulsification process is very stable and the control on
uniformity is good. Thousands of particles can be collected within
1 hour (FIG. 11E inset).
[0209] Two non-limiting benefits of this novel surface
emulsification technique should be noted. First, it combines the
advantages from open-channel microfluidics--e.g., easy to access,
large liquid-vapor interface--and advantages from droplet
microfluidics--e.g., discrete operation or analysis units, high
throughput or screening ability. This is very useful for the design
of novel devices used in both bio-analysis and preparation of
biological reagents. Second, by applying a carrier liquid
(inexpensive and easily obtained) as external fluid, the sample
retention on the target liquid (inner fluid) can be greatly
decreased to near zero.
[0210] Furthermore, the present disclosure contemplates
three-dimensional (3D) flow of various kinds of liquids with open
fluidic pathways or channels in a fluidic device design. For
example, a porous paper material has a treated surface with at
least one region of extreme wettability. Such a region may thus
define a 3D fluidic pathway. In one variation, to make a 3D channel
on fluoroalkyl silane coated-paper, a fluidic unit or "bridge" is
formed via a pair of vertical perforations through the entire
thickness of fluidic chip (FIG. 20A), to connect the liquids
running on the two sides. After the fluidic channels are perforated
with one or several bridges, a predetermined duration of O.sub.2
plasma etching is conducted onto two distinct sides of the fluidic
chip to make the channels wettable to the target liquids. Water,
DMF, ethanol and heptane are used as testing liquids here.
[0211] In certain aspects, a fluidic device comprises a porous
material comprising a surface comprising a first surface region
that comprises a surface coating having a first wettability
comprising a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane and a second
surface region on the surface having a second wettability that is
distinct from said first wettability. In certain variations, the
porous material comprises a cellulosic paper substrate. In other
variations, the porous material may be a fabric or textile. The
second surface region is capable of receiving, transferring, and/or
storing a fluid and the first surface region and the second surface
region together define at least one fluidic pathway for the fluid
on the surface of the porous material. The porous material and low
surface energy fluoroalkyl silane coated substrate may be any of
those described above having extreme wettabilities. The fluid is
selected from group consisting of: a polar liquid, a non-polar
liquid, and combinations thereof. In certain variations, at least
one fluidic pathway is an open channel. In certain other
variations, at least one fluidic pathway may be on a microscale or
nanoscale. In certain variations, at least one fluidic pathway is
configured for two-dimensional flow of the fluid and in other
variations, the at least one fluidic pathway is configured for
three-dimensional flow of the fluid. Thus, at least one fluidic
pathway optionally comprises a plurality of distinct fluidic
pathways, where at least two distinct pathways (e.g.,
non-contiguous or disconnected) are connected to one another by a
bridge structure.
[0212] As discussed above, in certain variations, the low surface
energy fluoroalkyl silane has a surface tension of less than or
equal to about 25 mN/m. The low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane
may be selected from a group consisting of:
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl triethoxysilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl trichlorosilane,
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl trichlorosilane,
tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctyl triethoxysilane, and
combinations thereof. The coating of the first surface region
optionally comprises a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having
a surface tension of less than or equal to about 10 mN/m. In
certain aspects, the coating of the first surface region consists
essentially of a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane having a
surface tension of less than or equal to about 25 mN/m. In certain
aspects, the coating has a ratio of fluorine to oxygen of greater
than or equal to about 2. In certain embodiments, greater than or
equal to about 60% of the hydroxyl groups on the porous paper-based
material are reacted with the low surface energy fluoroalkyl
silane.
[0213] To extend beyond lateral flow, three dimensional (3D)
flow-through channels on paper are formed for transport of all
types of liquids. Such a design may be an array having two groups
of four channels arranged orthogonally in the x and y directions on
a piece of paper (FIG. 12A). As shown in FIG. 12A, a 3D
microfluidic device 50 is shown. A porous substrate 52 may be
formed of a paper or textile. A plurality of first channels 60 may
be considered to be x-channels. The plurality of first channels 60
includes a plurality of upper channels 62 (along an upper surface
54 of substrate 52), a plurality of bridges 64, and a plurality of
lower channels 66 (disposed within a body of the substrate 52 or
along a lower side of substrate 52) that are all fluidically
coupled to one another. As noted above, upper channels 62 may be
formed by treating (e.g., etching) a first side of the porous
substrate 52, while lower channels 66 can be formed by treating a
second opposite side of the porous substrate 52. The first x
channels 60 are 3D channels with bridges running y channels, at the
x-y junctions. To allow the liquids in first x channels 60 to run
under at the junctions, the bridges 64 are formed by a pair of
vertical perforations (of diameter 500 .mu.m) through the entire
thickness of the paper, connecting the surface liquid flowing on
opposite sides of the bridge (see, FIG. 20A). In certain
variations, first x channels 60 have the dimensions of 50 mm
(length).times.3 mm (width) and each contains an upper channel 62
with four bridges 64 at each end for fluidic connection with the
lower channel 66 therebetween. Notably, there are four distinct
pluralities of first x channels 60 in substrate 52, which are
labeled respectively 60A, 60B, 60C, and 60D. Water, DMF, heptane,
and ethanol are loaded for purposes of demonstration. Channel 60A
is for water, channel 60B is for DMF, channel 60C is for heptane,
and channel 60D is for ethanol.
[0214] A second plurality of channels 70 are also formed in the
upper surface 54 porous substrate 52 in the y-direction. These
second channels 70 can thus be considered to be lateral y channels.
Notably, there are four distinct pluralities of second y channels
70 in substrate 52, which are labeled respectively 70A, 70B, 70C,
and 70D. For purposes of demonstration, channel 70A is for water,
channel 70B is for DMF, channel 70C is for heptane, and channel 70D
is for ethanol. In certain examples, the second y channels 70 have
dimensions of 25 mm (length).times.1.8 mm (width). Notably, the
first and second channels 60, 70 are not limited to the numbers
listed or placement shown and described, but are merely exemplary
for purposes of illustration.
[0215] The first and second pluralities of 3D channels 60, 70 are
selectively treated for different times by a high-power (350 W)
O.sub.2 plasma etching to get the optimal flow rate for different
liquids (see e.g., FIG. 20A). A 4.times.4 bridge matrix is
obtained.
[0216] In one variation, a paper chip with 3D microfluidic channels
is formed, first by perforating the porous substrate to form one or
several bridges (e.g., 64) and then followed by O.sub.2 plasma
etching onto both sides to make the channels wettable to the target
liquids (FIG. 20A). First, a set of 3D channels with one bridge 64
each is prepared. The channels are in the dimensions of 18 mm
(length).times.2 mm (width). Each bridge is 7.5 mm in length with a
pair of five, 500 .mu.m diameter perforations. Water (blue), DMF
(pink), ethanol (green), and heptane (maroon) are the four test
liquids, which are added at one end of the channels and they
smoothly transfer through the bridge, reaching the other side
(FIGS. 20B-20D). It should be noted that, to make the liquids go
through the bridge smoothly, the etching time is longer than what
is used to obtain lateral flow in 2D channels, especially for high
surface tension liquids like water. The O.sub.2 plasma etching (200
W) times for each one-bridge, 3D channel are 900 seconds for water,
120 seconds for DMF and ethanol, and 15 seconds for heptane.
[0217] In another variation, a higher power of O.sub.2 plasma (350
W) is used to treat and form 3D fluid channels with multiple
bridges. A set of 3D channels with two bridges each are prepared
(FIGS. 21A-21B). The channels are in the dimensions of 50 mm
(length).times.3 mm (width). Each bridge is around 10 mm in length
and includes a pair of five, 500 .mu.m diameter perforations. For
the four test liquids, the wetting time for the entire 50 mm,
two-bridge channel is investigated (FIG. 21C). With a similar trend
of surface wettability as observed for 200 W etching, an etching
window with a suitable time span, neither too short nor too long,
is used to make the test liquids flow across the two bridges. For
water, if the etching time is less than 60 seconds, it cannot wet
the whole channel in 50 mm. For etching times ranging from 60
seconds to 300 seconds, water can fill the whole channel across two
bridges and the wetting time is slightly increased from 300 seconds
to 320 seconds. With DMF, the minimal wetting time of approximately
85 seconds is obtained from the 60 second-etched channel. If the
etching time is less than 30 seconds or more than 120 seconds, the
wetting time is greatly increased until it cannot fill the entire
channel. For ethanol, the optimal etching time appears to be about
15 seconds to obtain a minimal wetting time of about 92 seconds.
The narrowest etching window is for heptane. Heptane can only fill
the 30 second-etched channel with two bridges in a wetting time of
74 seconds. This is caused by the same effect of oil recovery
discussed above in the context of FIG. 3B.
[0218] Thus, based on the optimized high-power O.sub.2 plasma
treatment, a set of 3D channels with four bridges each are prepared
in a device like that shown in FIGS. 12A-12C. The etching times
are: 180 seconds for water channels, 60 seconds for DMF channels,
30 seconds for heptane channels, and 15 seconds for ethanol
channels. The four test liquids are loaded for demonstration. Water
can fill the entire 50 mm first x channel 60A by crossing the four
bridges. DMF crosses the four bridges, but stops just before
reaching the first x channel's 60B end. Ethanol and heptane, due to
evaporation, only cross the first two bridges out of four in first
channels 60C and 60D, respectively. Therefore, second portions of
ethanol and heptane are applied from the other ends of the first x
channels 60C and 60D, allowing the wetted halves to meet in the
center.
[0219] Based on parameters that are believed to be optimized, two
groups of fluidic channels (first and second pluralities of
channels 60 and 70) are arranged orthogonally in x and y
directions, which are prepared on the double sides of a
fluoro-paper (FIG. 12A). As noted above, each first x channel 60 is
of four bridges. Water, DMF, ethanol and heptane, the four testing
liquids are loaded on the same piece of 3D fluoroalkyl silane
coated-paper chip prepared in accordance with certain aspects of
the present teachings. Water can fill the whole x channel in 50 mm
by crossing the four bridges. DMF can cross the four bridges, but
stops at a position close to the end of channel. For ethanol and
heptane, they can only cross the first two out of four bridges
along the x channel. Then, a second run of ethanol and heptane is
needed from the other end of the x channel to meet the wetted
halves in the center. A 4.times.4 bridge matrix can be obtained
(matrix designations being labeled "a-d" in the x-direction and
"1-4" in the y-direction) after the 3D fluidic chip was filled with
the four testing liquids (see Table 5).
TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 a1 a2 a3 a4 Water/ Water/ Water/ Water/
Water DMF Heptane Ethanol b1 b2 b3 b4 DMF/ DMF/ DMF/ DMF/ Water DMF
Heptane Ethanol c1 c2 c3 c4 Heptane/ Heptane/ Heptane/ Heptane/
Water DMF Heptane Ethanol d1 d2 d3 d4 Ethanol/ Ethanol/ Ethanol/
Ethanol/ Water DMF Heptane Ethanol
[0220] From the entire matrix, no mixing from any pair of testing
liquids is observed as shown in FIGS. 12B and 12C. FIG. 12B shows
the front side (+z-direction) and FIG. 12B shows the back side
(-z-direction). Thus, no mixing between any of first plurality of x
channels 60 and second plurality of y channels 70 occurs,
demonstrating the ability to form 3D microfluidic channels in
addition to surface lateral channels.
[0221] These experimental results show that with a porous material
thickness of 390 .mu.m, the orthogonal 3D channels for various
different kinds of liquids can be successfully integrated into a
single piece of porous material, like paper, prepared in accordance
with certain aspects of the present teachings. Thus, a porous
material reacted with a low surface energy fluoroalkyl silane to
form a coated fluorosilanized, omniphobic surface, further treated
by O.sub.2 plasma etching on the coated surface, is provided by the
present teachings. Such a porous material having a coated surface
is capable of realizing all of the extreme wettabilities, Moreover,
such extreme wettabilities can all be provided on a single piece of
substrate, like cellulose paper. This novel platform can be used
for analysis, detection, synthesis and preparation, and
open-channel fluidic devices, designed for both 2D lateral flow and
3D fluidic operations. It is capable of meeting increasing demands
in fluid control on paper-based devices. Moreover, from the
material aspect, cellulose is the most naturally abundant polymer
on earth, which makes the methods described in the present
disclosure especially well-suited for low-cost and high-performance
technologies.
[0222] A printing technique is also contemplated to enhance
flexibility on patterning and design options for forming the
surface with extreme wettabilities. The fluoro-paper used for
printing is prepared by deep fluorosilanization of copy paper as a
substrate (Biose X-9 Multiuse OX9001 commercially available from
OfficeMax) in accordance with certain aspects of the present
disclosure previously discussed. In such a method, deep
fluorosilanization of cellulose paper by vapor phase deposition
occurs by deposition of a fluoroalkyl silane precursor comprising
heptadecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrodecyl)trichlorosilane (SIH5841.0)
onto the surface of the cellulose paper, as previously discussed
above. See FIG. 22.
[0223] The dynamic contact angles of water (H.sub.2O) and
hexadecane (HD) on the developed fluoro-paper here are measured as
.theta.*.sub.adv H.sub.2O is 153.0, .theta.*.sub.rec H.sub.2O is 0,
.theta.*.sub.adv HD is 112.6, .theta.*.sub.rec HD is 0,
respectively. Compared with the fluoro-paper (type-A) made out of
fluorinated cellulose paper (FIG. 13), the nearly zero receding
contact angles from both water and oil provide very good contact
and adhesion between the ink and the surface of fluoro-paper.
Further, the high advancing contact angles prevent the ink from
further wicking or spreading after it hits the surface of
fluoro-paper.
[0224] A custom model ink is thus used to selectively cover the
target fluoro-paper surface to form liquid-wettable channels
thereon. A polyvinyl acetate (Aleene's Fabric Fusion permanent
fabric adhesive) is the main component of the model ink. The ink is
formed by dissolving the fabric adhesive in ethanol to make a
solution with a concentration of 500 mg/mL. Then, the adhesive
solution is diluted by an SDS aqueous solution (20 mg/mL) in the
volume ratio of 1:3. The final solution is probe sonicated (Heat
Systems Ultrasonic Processor Sonicator) for 2 minutes and filtered
by a 0.2 .mu.m syringe filter for use as ink.
[0225] The setup for printing provides for precise positioning via
a motorized XYZ motion stage (Shapeoko 2). The motion of each axis
is programmable and controlled from a laptop. The printing head is
a tapered plastic dispensing nozzle (24 gauge, purchased from
McMaster-Carr) connected to a syringe pump (KD Scientific Model
200) via silicone rubber tubing ( 1/16 inch inner diameter,
purchased from McMaster-Carr). The syringe pump is connected to the
XYZ stage electronics to enable computer-controlled ink deposition.
A typical flow rate of the ink used for printing is 1 mL/h. The
fluoro-paper substrates are glued onto glass plates to minimize
wrinkling. Then, the glass plates are mounted on a hotplate, which
is carefully leveled. The temperature of the substrate (set as
about 45.degree. C.) is monitored with a thermocouple. A backlight
is used in the background to improve the visibility of the printed
channels.
[0226] Patterns for the XYZ platform are generated by drawing them
in vector graphics software (INKSCAPE.TM.). They are converted to
the standard G-code machine control language with a plug-in. The
files are fu