Schematic illustrationAbstract
Microfibers have demonstrated significant application values in a large number of areas. Current efforts focus on developing new technologies toprepare microfibers with controllable morphological and structural features to enhance their functions. Here, a piezoelectric microfluidic platform ispresented for consecutive spinning of functional microfibers with programmable spindle-knots. In this platform, a jet of a pregel-solution flowing in thechannel can be subjected to a programmable piezoelectric signal and vibrates synchronously. Following a rapid polymerization of the wavy jet, microfiberswith corresponding morphologies can be generated, including uniform, gradient, and symmetrical knots. Such a unique knot structure contributes to awater-collection mechanism. Thus, it has been observed that microfibers with programmed knots enable even more flexible droplet handling and activewater transport. In addition, by constructing higher-order knot fiber networks, practical applications including spray reaction, lab-on-a-chip vapor detection,etc., can also be demonstrated. it is believed that this platform opens a new avenue for fiber spinning, and the programmable microfibers would be highlyapplicable in chemical, biomedical, and environmental areas.
Chaoyu Yang
Research Assistant Professor of MAE
My research interests include microfluidics, fluid dynamics, nature-inspired engineering, droplet, wettablity.