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Inkjet Printing Enabled Controllable Paper Superhydrophobization and Its Applications
journal contribution
posted on 2018-03-26, 17:25 authored by Yue Zhang, Tingting Ren, Junhui HePapers’
intrinsic interconnected porous structures and hydrophilic
properties usually results in difficulty and complexity in partial
functionalization and regulation processes because the capillary effect
may lead to the fast diffusion of modifiers from one side to the other.
Here, we report a simple and innovative inkjet printing approach that
led to precise hydrophobic functionalization controllable in both
planar and steric dimensions. Fabrication of Janus superwetting papers
and superwettable patterned papers with high precision was achieved
by computer-controlled inkjet printing. Elaborate controls of ink
quantity enabled superhydrophobic functionalization on one side of
the paper substrate, with the opposite side superhydrophilic. Static
water contact angles up to 154° were obtained on the inkjet-printed
side of the paper, thanks to an appropriate combination of surface
chemistry with dual-scale surface roughness. Furthermore, paper-based
microfluidics were fabricated and the resolution of which were estimated
to be ca. 600 μm. Meanwhile, a paper-based analytical device
for colorimetric sensing of Ni(II) was designed and demonstrated based
on superwettable patterned papers by inkjet printing. The inkjet printing
approach reported here represents a key step forward in fabricating
Janus materials and complicate patterns for practical applications.