A Novel Coating Method for Micro-scale Fibers:Capillary Action between In-Drop Fibers and Polymer Solution Droplets
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초록
내용
Droplets on slender conical structures self-propel due to capillary action if they are smaller than the capillary length. This principle is used by insects and plants for droplet collection. In contrast, micro-scale fibers with wettable droplets are spontaneously embedded inside the droplets if the fiber’s bending resistance is smaller than the capillary force. Understanding the capillary action between fiber and liquid droplet can provide a novel pathway for functional layer coating of micro-scale fibrous surfaces as well as the development of advanced functional structures, especially, for stretchable electronics. We study here how a solution droplet deposits conducting or semiconducting layers on micro-scale fibers as the solution droplet moves along fibrous structures or the in-drop fiber segments are pulled out of the solution droplet. Physical and electrical properties of the functionalized fibers are systematically characterized.