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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

Rendering SiO₂/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

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Preventing the Cassie-Wenzel transition using surfaces with noncommunicating roughness elements.

Vaibhav Bahadur¹, Suresh V Garimella

¹School of Mechanical Engineering and Birck Nanotechnology Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2088, USA.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids

|March 6, 2009

Summary

Structured surfaces with noncommunicating roughness elements prevent droplet state transitions in microfluidics. This design enhances the stability of the Cassie state, crucial for robust superhydrophobic surfaces and advanced microfluidic applications.

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Determination of Aggregate Surface Morphology at the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ)

Determination of Aggregate Surface Morphology at the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ)

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Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars

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Published on: February 11, 2020

Determination of Aggregate Surface Morphology at the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ)

Determination of Aggregate Surface Morphology at the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ)

Published on: December 16, 2019

Area of Science:

Surface science
Microfluidics
Materials science

Background:

Controlling liquid droplet states on structured surfaces is key for microfluidics.
Droplet transitions between Cassie and Wenzel states impact surface performance.
Existing surfaces with communicating roughness elements are prone to state transitions.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce and investigate structured surfaces with noncommunicating roughness elements.
To prevent the transition of droplets from the Cassie to the Wenzel state.
To enhance the robustness of superhydrophobic surfaces.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of surfaces with noncommunicating roughness elements (cratered surfaces).
Analysis of droplet confinement under Cassie state conditions.
Measurement of electrowetting (EW) voltage required to induce Wenzel transition.

Main Results:

Noncommunicating roughness elements confine the medium under droplets, resisting Wenzel transition.
Cratered surfaces require significantly higher EW voltages to trigger Wenzel transition compared to communicating roughness surfaces.
Droplet morphology control via EW is strongly dependent on roughness element type.

Conclusions:

Surfaces with noncommunicating roughness elements significantly enhance the stability of the Cassie state.
These surfaces offer a pathway to minimize Cassie-Wenzel transitions, improving superhydrophobicity robustness.
The findings support the development of advanced, stable superhydrophobic surfaces for microfluidic devices.