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Directional Transport of Polymer Sheet and a Microsphere by a Rationally Aligned Nanowire Array
Author(s) -
Wu Weiwei,
Cheng Li,
Bai Suo,
Wang Zhong Lin,
Qin Yong
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
advanced materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 10.707
H-Index - 527
eISSN - 1521-4095
pISSN - 0935-9648
DOI - 10.1002/adma.201104085
Subject(s) - materials science , wetting , nanotechnology , nanowire , polystyrene , fluidics , polymer , microsphere , anisotropy , optoelectronics , composite material , optics , chemical engineering , physics , engineering , aerospace engineering
Aligned oblique nanowire arrays (AONWAs; top image) with controllable obliquity, NW diameter, length, and density are produced by a novel method. A mechanism of array formation is proposed and it is demonstrated that the surface structure of AONWAs can be utilized to transport objects ranging from a polystyrene microsphere to a macroscopic PET sheet (lower figures). Unidirectional wetting of the surface and the relation between the anisotropy of the wetting and the NWs' obliquity are described. Potential applications of the AONWAs include fluidic diodes, drug delivery systems, and self‐cleaning without a liquid.