Tunable superamphiphobic surfaces: a platform for naked-eye ATP detection

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Surface Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing surfaces with controlled wettability is crucial for various applications.
• Nanoparticle-based materials offer tunable surface properties.
• Gradient surfaces can exhibit unique droplet manipulation capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate a superamphiphobic surface with gradient wettability using TiO2 nanoparticles.
• To investigate the droplet sorting ability of the fabricated surface for different ethanol concentrations.
• To demonstrate the potential of this surface as a platform for naked-eye ATP detection in biosensing.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a superamphiphobic surface by spraying perfluorosilane-coated TiO2 nanoparticles.
• Regulation of surface chemistry and wettability through gradient UV irradiation-induced organic compound degradation.
• Demonstration of droplet sorting for ethanol solutions of varying concentrations.
• Application in naked-eye ATP detection using ATP-dependent rolling circle amplification (RCA).

Main Results:

• A superamphiphobic surface with tunable gradient wettability was successfully fabricated.
• The surface demonstrated effective sorting of ethanol droplets based on concentration.
• The platform enabled naked-eye detection of ATP through droplet sorting after RCA.
• The developed method is energy-efficient and economical.

Conclusions:

• The gradient superamphiphobic TiO2 nanoparticle surface exhibits excellent droplet sorting capabilities.
• This technology provides a promising platform for sensitive and cost-effective biosensing, including point-of-care applications.
• The ability to sort droplets based on analyte concentration offers new avenues for biochemical assays.