Function-led design of multifunctional stimuli-responsive superhydrophobic surface based on hierarchical graphene-titania nanocoating

TL;DR

This paper presents a hierarchical graphene-titania nanocoating that creates a multifunctional superhydrophobic surface with tunable wettability and microfluidic capabilities, including water manipulation and droplet sensing, driven by a novel function-led design approach.

Contribution

It introduces a new graphene-titania nanocoating with integrated microfluidic functions and elucidates the mechanisms behind its tunable wettability and UV-induced superhydrophilicity.

Findings

Achieved full-spectrum wettability control on the surface.

Enabled microfluidic functions like directional water transport and droplet sensing.

Demonstrated UV-induced superhydrophilic conversion of titania.

Abstract

Multifunctional smart superhydrophobic surface with full-spectrum tunable wettability control is fabricated through the self-assembly of the graphene and titania nanofilm double-layer coating. Advanced microfluidic manipulative functions, including directional water transport, adhesion & spreading controls, droplet storage & transfer, and droplet sensing array, can be readily realized on this smart surface. An in-depth mechanism study regarding the underlying secrets of the tunable wettability and the UV-induced superhydrophilic conversion of anatase titania are also presented.