All-perfluoropolymer, nonlinear stability-assisted monolithic surface combines topology-specific superwettability with ultradurability.

Developing versatile and robust surfaces that mimic the skins of living beings to regulate air/liquid/solid matter is critical for many bioinspired applications. Despite notable achievements, such as in the case of developing robust superhydrophobic surfaces, it remains elusive to realize simultaneously topology-specific superwettability and multipronged durability owing to their inherent tradeoff and the lack of a scalable fabrication method. Here, we present a largely unexplored strategy of preparing an all-perfluoropolymer (Teflon), nonlinear stability-assisted monolithic surface for efficient regulating matters.

Microfluidic synthesis as a new route to produce novel functional materials.

By geometrically constraining fluids into the sub-millimeter scale, microfluidics offers a physical environment largely different from the macroscopic world, as a result of the significantly enhanced surface effects. This environment is characterized by laminar flow and inertial particle behavior, short diffusion distance, and largely enhanced heat exchange. The recent two decades have witnessed the rapid advances of microfluidic technologies in various fields such as biotechnology; analytical science; and diagnostics; as well as physical, chemical, and biological research.

The Application of Microfluidic Technologies in Aptamer Selection.

Aptamers are sequences of single-strand oligonucleotides (DNA or RNA) with potential binding capability to specific target molecules, which are increasingly used as agents for analysis, diagnosis, and medical treatment. Aptamers are generated by a selection method named systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Numerous SELEX methods have been developed for aptamer selections.

"Barcode" cell sensor microfluidic system: Rapid and sample-to-answer antimicrobial susceptibility testing applicable in resource-limited conditions.

Many rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) methods have been proposed to contain clinical antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and preserve the effectiveness of remaining antimicrobials. However, far fewer methods have been proposed to test AMR in resource-limited conditions, such as for frequent safety screenings of water/food/public facilities, urgent surveys of massive samples during a pandemic, or AMR tests in low-income countries. Rapid AST methods realized thus far have a variety of drawbacks when used for such surveys, e.

Defect-induced activity enhancement of enzyme-encapsulated metal-organic frameworks revealed in microfluidic gradient mixing synthesis.

Mimicking the cellular environment, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising for encapsulating enzymes for general applications in environments often unfavorable for native enzymes. Markedly different from previous researches based on bulk solution synthesis, here, we report the synthesis of enzyme-embedded MOFs in a microfluidic laminar flow. The continuously changed concentrations of MOF precursors in the gradient mixing on-chip resulted in structural defects in products.

Reliable and reusable whole polypropylene plastic microfluidic devices for a rapid, low-cost antimicrobial susceptibility test.

Using an antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) as an example, this work demonstrates a practical method to fabricate microfluidic chips entirely from polypropylene (PP) and the benefits for potential commercial use. Primarily caused by the misuse and abuse of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to modern medicine. The AST is a promising technique to help with the optimal use of antibiotics for reducing AMR.

A one-step strategy for ultra-fast and low-cost mass production of plastic membrane microfluidic chips.

An ultra-fast, extremely cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method was developed for fabricating flexible microfluidic chips with plastic membranes. With this method, we could fabricate plastic microfluidic chips rapidly (within 12 seconds per piece) at an extremely low cost (less than $0.02 per piece).