Abstract

Superhydrophobic Surfaces for Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Applications

Chang-Hwan Choi, Associate Professor, Stevens Institute of Technology

In microscale systems such as microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip devices, surface forces become more pronounced than volumetric body forces. Thus, surface forces such as surface wettability can be employed efficiently for the manipulation of fluid behaviors in such systems. In this talk, several applications of superhydrophobic surfaces in microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip systems will be presented, including 1) hydrodynamic friction reduction in droplet movement and continuous channel flows, and 2) evaporation of droplets and their dryout patterns on superhydrophobic surfaces. Design issues and fabrication methods for effective superhydrophobic surfaces for the applications will also be addressed.