Application of 3D printing for fabrication of superhydrophobic surfaces with reversible wettability
Wenxuan Zhao, Yanlong Zhan, Wen Li, Saisai Hao, Alidad Amirfazli
Abstract
) solutions, over microplate surfaces. Anisotropic wetting properties were also achieved based on the surface structure design. Due to the shape memory properties of PLA, the morphology of the microplate arrays could be switched between the original upright shape and deformed shape. Through alternating pressing and heating treatments, the microplate arrays showed anisotropic wettability switching. The difference between the contact angle (CA) and sliding angle (SA) of water droplets on the original surface parallel to and perpendicular to the microplate array direction were ΔCA = 7° and ΔSA = 3° respectively, and those on the surface of the deformed microplate array were ΔCA = 7° and ΔSA = 21°, respectively. This process enabled reversible alteration in the wetting behavior of water droplets on the original and deformed surfaces between sliding and sticking states. PLA-based shape memory anisotropic superhydrophobic surfaces with tunable adhesion were successfully applied to rewritable platforms, micro droplet reaction platforms, and gas sensing.