Structured surface comprising a shape memory polymer for manipulating liquid droplets

1. A device for manipulating liquid droplets, the device comprising:

a structured surface comprising an array of larger pillars and a number of smaller pillars distributed among the larger pillars, each of the larger pillars comprising a shape memory polymer having a glass transition temperature T g , the structured surface having an undeformed initial configuration,

wherein the structured surface is configured to adopt a deformed configuration upon compression of the larger pillars, and wherein the undeformed initial configuration is configured to be recoverable from the deformed configuration by heating the shape memory polymer at or above the T g , and wherein, when exposed to a liquid droplet, the structured surface comprises a first wettability in the deformed configuration and a second wettability in the undeformed initial configuration, the structured surface thereby comprising a dynamic wettability for manipulating liquid droplets.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the smaller pillars also comprise the shape memory polymer.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first wettability is higher than the second wettability.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory polymer is hydrophobic.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the shape memory polymer is hydrophilic, and further comprising a hydrophobic coating on the shape memory polymer.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the T g of the shape memory polymer is above room temperature.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the larger pillars comprise nanotextured top surfaces having a roughness ratio of at least about 1.5.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the larger pillars have a height-to-width aspect ratio of no greater than about 0.8.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the larger pillars have a lateral dimension or width a, where 1 μm≤a≤100 μm.

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein, in the undeformed initial configuration, each of the larger pillars has a first height h 1 , and wherein each of the smaller pillars comprises a second height h 2 , and wherein a height difference h ori =h 1 −h 2 is larger than a meniscus height of a liquid droplet on the larger pillars.

11. The device of claim 1 , further comprising an internal heater in thermal contact with the structured surface.

12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the internal heater comprises a conductive film, the internal heater being configured for resistive heating of the structured surface.

13. The device of claim 11 , wherein the device comprises a plurality of the internal heaters, each internal heater being independently controllable.

14. A method to manipulate a liquid droplet on a surface, the method comprising:

applying a liquid droplet to a structured surface comprising an array of larger pillars and a number of smaller pillars distributed among the larger pillars, each of the larger pillars comprising a shape memory polymer having a glass transition temperature T g , the structured surface being in a deformed configuration where the larger pillars are compressed relative to an undeformed initial configuration of the structured surface, the liquid droplet contacting the structured surface at a first apparent contact angle corresponding to a first wettability of the structured surface in the deformed configuration; and

heating the structured surface at or above the T g , the structured surface thereby recovering the undeformed initial configuration and the liquid droplet contacting the structured surface at a second apparent contact angle corresponding to a second wettability of the structured surface in the undeformed initial configuration, the liquid droplet thereby being manipulated on the structured surface.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the first apparent contact angle is lower than the second apparent contact angle, the first wettability being higher than the second wettability.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising, prior to applying the liquid droplet to the structured surface:

heating the structured surface at or above the T g and compressing the larger pillars, the structured surface thereby adopting the deformed configuration; and

cooling the structured surface to a temperature below the T g , thereby rigidizing the structured surface in the deformed configuration.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heating is carried out using an external heater selected from the group consisting of: a furnace, heat lamp and laser.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heating is carried out using an internal heater comprising a conductive film in contact with the structured surface, the heating comprising resistive heating.

19. A method of moving a liquid droplet over a surface, the method comprising:

applying a liquid droplet to a structured surface comprising an array of larger pillars and a number of smaller pillars distributed among the larger pillars, each of the larger pillars comprising a shape memory polymer having a glass transition temperature T g , the structured surface being in a deformed configuration where the larger pillars are compressed relative to an undeformed initial configuration of the structured surface, and the structured surface including n regions configured for independent heating, each of the n regions including one or more of the larger pillars, where the liquid droplet comprises a rear portion in contact with a first of the n regions and a leading portion forward of the rear portion;

locally heating the first of the n regions of the structured surface at or above the T g , thereby inducing the larger pillar(s) in the first region to exhibit shape recovery to an uncompressed shape, an apparent contact angle of the rear portion of the liquid droplet becoming greater than an apparent contact angle of the leading portion of the liquid droplet so as to produce a morphological gradient force, the liquid droplet thereby advancing on the structured surface such that the rear portion contacts a second of the n regions,

wherein the local heating is carried out sequentially for a predetermined pattern of adjacent regions to advance the liquid droplet across the structured surface.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the locally heating occurs at a temperature of at least about T g +20° C. to produce a thermal gradient force in addition to the morphological gradient force for advancement of the liquid droplet.

21. The method of claim 19 , further comprising, prior to applying the liquid droplet to the structured surface:

heating the structured surface at or above the T g and compressing the larger pillars, the structured surface thereby adopting the deformed configuration; and

cooling the structured surface to a temperature below the T g , thereby rigidizing the structured surface in the deformed configuration.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the local heating is carried out using an external heater comprising a laser beam or a heated stencil.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein light-absorbing particles are embedded within the n regions of the structured surface.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising n internal heaters, each of the n internal heaters being in thermal contact with one of the n regions, and wherein the local heating comprises activating an i th of the n internal heaters to locally heat the i th region, where 1≤i≤n.

25. The method of claim 19 , wherein the n regions are arranged in a one-dimensional array and the predetermined pattern is a linear pattern.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the n regions are arranged in a two-dimensional array and the predetermined pattern is a linear or a non-linear pattern.