Controlled liquid/solid mobility using external fields on lubricant-impregnated surfaces

Abstract

A method for precise control of movement of a motive phase on a lubricant-impregnated surface includes providing a lubricant-impregnated surface, introducing the motive phase onto the lubricant-impregnated surface, and exposing the droplets to an electric and / or magnetic field to induce controlled movement of the droplets on the surface. The lubricant-impregnated surface includes a matrix of solid features spaced sufficiently close to stably contain the impregnating lubricant therebetween or therewithin. The motive phase is immiscible or scarcely miscible with the impregnating lubricant.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, and incorporates herein by reference in its entirety U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 919,481, filed Dec. 20, 2013.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for controlling the movement of liquids and solids on lubricant-impregnated surfaces.BACKGROUND[0003]The ability to control the movement of motive phases (e.g., droplets) on surfaces (e.g., non-wetting surfaces) is highly desirable for a wide variety of diverse applications including, for example, micro-fluidic devices, anti-icing, dropwise condensation, and biomedical devices. For example, conventional lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices integrate one or more laboratory functions on a single, small chip and are useful in performing diagnostic tests. These devices permit the handling of very small fluid volumes, e.g., volumes of a picoliter or less, via prefabricated microchannels ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0008]Described herein, in certain embodiments, are systems and methods for controlling / manipulating the movement of droplets (e.g., liquid droplets) on surfaces (e.g., non-wetting surfaces). In some embodiments, the droplets move over a lubricant-impregnated surface, which enhances or improves the slippage of droplets. An external electrical and / or magnetic field is applied to a lubricant-impregnated surface, thereby optimizing energy transfer and allowing precise control of the movement of a motive phase(s) (e.g., liquid droplets) on the surface (including, e.g., precise control of the trajectory and / or the speed of the movement of the motive phase). In certain embodiments, the invention facilitates shedding of both moisture and dust from critical energy system surfaces. In some embodiments, critical energy system surfaces include condenser surfaces (shedding small droplets instead of allowing filmwise condensation to occur), solar panels (droplets / dust will cause light diffraction and decrease efficiency of panel dramatically). Both of these are “energy systems”, both of which need droplets to be shed.

Problems solved by technology

In some embodiments, critical energy system surfaces include condenser surfaces (shedding small droplets instead of allowing filmwise condensation to occur), solar panels (droplets / dust will cause light diffraction and decrease efficiency of panel dramatically).

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