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High-Contrast and Fast Photorheological Switching of a Twist-Bend Nematic Liquid Crystal

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Wettability-Switchable Azobenzene Inverse Opal Film via Interfacial Engineering.

Junchao Liu¹, Chenfang Zhang¹, Haoxuan He¹

¹School of Sciences, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

|August 20, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a novel azobenzene inverse opal film that reversibly switches surface wettability and droplet adhesion. This smart coating offers programmable control over droplet behavior for advanced fluidic devices and self-cleaning applications.

Keywords:

adhesion switching azobenzene liquid crystal inverse opal water transportation wettability

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Chemistry
Nanotechnology

Background:

Precise control over surface wettability is crucial for advanced fluidic devices.
Existing methods often face limitations in modulation range, reversibility, or fabrication complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a material with reversible wettability and adhesion switching capabilities.
To address the limitations of current wettability modulation techniques.

Main Methods:

Fabrication of an azobenzene inverse opal film.
Utilizing UV/vis irradiation to induce reversible trans-cis photoisomerization.
Characterizing surface energy, sliding angles, and droplet dynamics.

Main Results:

The film exhibited reversible wettability and adhesion switching upon alternating UV/vis light exposure.
Surface energy increased from 22.0 to 33.5 mJ/m², with sliding angles changing from 17° to 25°.
Demonstrated programmable droplet mobility, switching between rolling and pinning behaviors.

Conclusions:

The azobenzene inverse opal film provides a lubricant-free, non-lithographic method for controllable, reversible wettability.
This technology holds promise for smart coatings, self-cleaning materials, and photonic fluidic devices.