In nature, superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) exhibit microstructures with several roughness-scales. Scalable fabrication and build-up along the X-Y plane represents the promise of 3D printing technology. Herein we report 3D printed...
Parahydrophobic
surfaces (PHSs) composed of arrays of cubic μ-pillars
with a double scale of roughness and variable wettability were systematically
obtained in one step and a widely accessible stereolithographic Formlabs
3D printer. The wettability control was achieved by combining the
geometrical parameters (H = height and P = pitch) and the surface modification with fluoroalkyl silane compounds.
Homogeneous distribution of F and Si atoms onto the pillars was observed
by XPS and SEM-EDAX. A nano-roughness on the heads of the pillars
was achieved without any post-treatment. The smallest P values lead to surfaces with static contact angles (CAs) >150°
regardless of the H utilized. Interestingly, the
relationship 0.6 ≤ H/P ≤
2.6 obtained here was in good agreement with the H/P values reported for nano- and submicron pillars.
Furthermore, experimental CAs, advancing and receding CAs, were consistent
with the theoretical prediction from the Cassie–Baxter model.
Structures covered with perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane with high H and short P lead to PHSs. Conversely,
structures covered with perfluorodecyltrimethoxysilane exhibited a
superhydrophobic behavior. Finally, several aqueous reactions, such
as precipitation, coordination complex, and nanoparticle synthesis,
were carried out by placing the reactive agents as microdroplets on
the parahydrophobic pillars, demonstrating the potential application
as chemical multi-reaction array platforms for a large variety of
relevant fields in microdroplet manipulation, microfluidics systems,
and health monitoring, among others.
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