Contactless manipulation of mixed phase fluids in liquid crystal polymer microtubes assisted with light-driven vortex

Abstract

Smart channels that manipulate liquid motion by anisotropic shape changes represent a promising candidate to construct microfluidics for biochemical analysis. However, the existing systems fail to provide a platform for solid exchange mediums to interact with multiple liquid phases, which is a universal technique to effectively extract, enrich, and precisely detect biomarkers. Herein, a combined photo/magnetic control strategy of mixed phase fluids, which integrates the contactless operations of suspending, depositing, and even separating, is reported for the first time based on a trilayer microtube consisting of a flexible supporting layer, photodeformable liquid crystal polymer, and hydrophilic blocking layer. The asymmetric photodeformation of the liquid crystal polymer generates an internal vortex in the microtube to homogenously disperse solid exchange mediums into various aqueous moving droplets and to enable efficient purification and enrichment of the target biomarkers. A newly constructed homemade portable protein analyzer guided by the combined photo/magnetic control strategy features the advantages of a short detection time (20 min), trace sample consumption (5 μL), and a low detection limit (1 μg mL−1).

Spintronic Phenomena and Applications in Hybrid Organic–Inorganic Perovskites

“…Furthermore, the exploration of HOIPs with multiferroic nature (coexistence of multiple ferroic orders) and magnetoelectric coupling will provide opportunities for electric control of spintronic properties and high-efficiency multi-bit devices. [218][219][220] Third, developing new-type chiral perovskites with higher conductivity and stronger chiroptical activities (CD, CPL) is necessary for practical applications. For this purpose, designing and synthesizing new chiral ligands is an indispensable and challenging task.…”

“…Furthermore, the exploration of HOIPs with multiferroic nature (coexistence of multiple ferroic orders) and magnetoelectric coupling will provide opportunities for electric control of spintronic properties and high‐efficiency multi‐bit devices. [ 218–220 ]…”

Liquid crystal polymer actuators with complex and multiple actuations

“…5e), generating adjustable capillary force to propel liquids in the direction of light attenuation and showing huge potential for application in actuators for biomedical microfluidics. 58,59 Afterwards, the authors improved the photodeformation properties and mechanical properties by varying the spacer length. 60 With the increasing spacer length, the mesogen alignment exhibited a larger tilt angle f, thus exhibiting a larger variation of mesogens in the expanded area and a smaller variation of mesogens in the contracted area for overall enhanced asymmetric photodeformation upon attenuated light.…”

“…5e), generating adjustable capillary force to propel liquids in the direction of light attenuation and showing huge potential for application in actuators for biomedical microfluidics. 58,59…”

Liquid Crystal Networks Meet Water: It's Complicated!

“…[ 134 ] In addition to swimming and cargo transport, photochemical LCNs as confining surrounding media have been used to transport and mix liquids. [ 135–137 ]…”