A Lab on a Chip article from Siyuan Xing, Jia Jiang and Tingrui Pan at University of California Davis, USA, has been featured in the scientific press this week. It describes their new smart fabric that uses microfluidic transport to move liquid along water-repelling yarn. This article has captured peoples’ attention because of its potential application in smart clothing that removes sweat from the body during exercise.
This new micropatterned superhydrophobic textile (MST) platform cleverly combines the hydrophilic yarn with the superhydrophobic substrate to channel the fluid and allow surface tension to drive forward the flow in addition to the more usual capillary forces. No external pump is necessary and the fabric continues to function even when completely soaked, as capillary action is not the only driving force.
Read the article in full in Lab on a Chip today:
Interfacial microfluidic transport on micropatterned superhydrophobic textile
Siyuan Xing, Jia Jianga and Tingrui Pan
DOI: 10.1039/C3LC41255E
