Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Taking Advantage of Reduced Droplet-surface Interaction to Optimize Transport of Bioanalytes in Digital Microfluidics
Published on: November 10, 2014
Enhancing Digital Microfluidics: A Comprehensive Investigation into the Performance of Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous
Neeti Kalyani1, Rahul Singh1, Ankita Mishra
1DTU Bioengineering, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens, Lyngby 2800, Denmark.
Abstract:
Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS), formed by infusing porous Teflon with liquid lubricants, hold immense potential for applications in the field of digital microfluidics by enabling efficient droplet manipulation, preventing biofouling, and improving device performance. Despite diverse membrane-oil combinations reported to prepare SLIPS, systematic optimization for digital microfluidic application remains limited. This study investigates the fabrication and performance of SLIPS on two different Teflon membranes infused with three different oils (Silicone oil, Krytox oil, and Fluorinert FC40), focusing on their suitability for digital microfluidics. Among the tested combinations, the M1 membrane infused with silicon oil demonstrated superior performance, requiring a minimal actuation voltage of 170 V and achieving a droplet speed of 220 mm/min. In addition to excellent actuation properties, these SLIPS also effectively reduced biofouling challenges by minimizing bacterial and protein adhesion compared to untreated Teflon. This findings give valuable insights for engineering SLIPS fabrication with enhanced performance and antifouling characteristics, representing a crucial step toward robust, scalable digital microfluidics platforms.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
Excess Pressure Inside a Drop and a Bubble
Surface Tension of Fluid
Surface tension varies with...
General External Flow Characteristics

