Dynamic Manipulation of Droplets on Liquid-Infused Surfaces Using Photoresponsive Surfactant

Fast and programmable transport of droplets on a substrate is desirable in microfluidic, thermal, biomedical, and energy devices. Photoresponsive surfactants are promising candidates to manipulate droplet motion due to their ability to modify interfacial tension and generate "photo-Marangoni" flow under light stimuli. Previous works have demonstrated photo-Marangoni droplet migration in liquid media; however, migration on other substrates, including solid and liquid-infused surfaces (LIS), remains an outstanding challenge. Moreover, models of photo-Marangoni migration are still needed to identify optimal photoswitches and assess the feasibility of new applications. In this work, we demonstrate 2D droplet motion on liquid surfaces and on LIS, as well as rectilinear motion in solid capillary tubes. We synthesize photoswitches based on spiropyran and merocyanine, capable of tension changes of up to 5.5 mN/m across time scales as short as 1.7 s. A millimeter-sized droplet migrates at up to 5.5 mm/s on a liquid, and 0.25 mm/s on LIS. We observe an optimal droplet size for fast migration, which we explain by developing a scaling model. The model also predicts that faster migration is enabled by surfactants that maximize the ratio between the tension change and the photoswitching time. To better understand migration on LIS, we visualize the droplet flow using tracer particles, and we develop corresponding numerical simulations, finding reasonable agreement. The methods and insights demonstrated in this study enable advances for manipulation of droplets for microfluidic, thermal and water harvesting devices.

Droplet Navigation by Photothermal Pumping in an Optofluidic System

Droplets with guided motion have potential applications as microreactors and delivery vehicles. Directing long-range migration powered solely by light is particularly advantageous since light can be applied remotely, patterned with a photomask, and readily translated to irradiate specified locations. Herein, we describe a universal platform that allows fast directional navigation and collective merging of droplets controlled by either ultraviolet or visible light. The guided motion of water and oil droplets follows density-driven convective flows arising from photothermal conversion at a light-absorbing amphiphobic substrate. Because of the relatively high photothermal efficiency, a low-intensity light beam can be employed. Further, we demonstrate that the moving droplets can function as carriers and on-demand reaction chambers.

Application of Super Photoacids in Controlling Dynamic Processes: Light-Triggering the Self-Propulsion of Oil Droplets

The dynamic control of pH-responsive systems is at the heart of many natural and artificial processes. Here, we use photoacids, molecules that dissociate only in their excited state and transfer their proton to nearby proton acceptors, for the dynamic control of processes. A problem arises when there is a need to protonate highly acidic acceptors. We solve this problem using super photoacids that have an excited-state pK_a of -8, thus enabling them to protonate very weak proton acceptors. The process that we target is the light-triggered self-propulsion of droplets, initiated by an excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) from a super photoacid donor to a surfactant acceptor situated on the surface of the droplet with a pK_a of ∼0. We first confirm using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy that a super photoacid can undergo ESPT to the acidic surfactant, whereas a "regular" photoacid cannot. Next, we show self-propulsion of the droplet upon irradiating the solvated super photoacid. We further confirm the protonation of the surfactant on the surface of the droplet using transient surface tension measurements. Our system is the first example of the application of super photoacids to control dynamic processes and opens new possibilities in the field of light-triggered dynamic systems.

Motile behaviour of droplets in lipid systems

Motility is the capacity for living organisms to move autonomously and with purpose, and is essential to life. The transition from abiotic chemistry into motile cellular compartments has yet to be understood, but motile behaviour likely followed chemical evolution because primeval cell survival depended on scouting for resources effectively. Minimalistic motile systems provide an experimental framework to delineate the emergence mechanisms of such an evolutionary asset. In this Review, we discuss frontier developments in controlling the movement of droplets in lipid systems, in particular, chemotactic behaviours driven by fluctuations in interfacial tension, because of its simple mechanism and prebiotic relevance. Although most efforts have focused on designing oil droplet motility in lipid-rich aqueous solutions, we highlight that water droplets can also move in lipid-enriched oils. First, we describe how droplets evolve chemotactic motility in lipid systems. Next, we review how these oil droplets can adapt their movement to illumination conditions. Finally, we discuss examples where chemical reactivity brings complexity to motility. This work contributes to systems chemistry, where chemical reactions combined with physicochemical phenomena can yield new functions, such that a limited set of molecules can promote complex movement at larger functional scales by following the rules of molecular chemistry.

Reversible photo control of proton chemistry

Spatial, temporal, and remote control of proton chemistry can be achieved by using photoacids, which are molecules that transform from weak to strong acids under light. Most of proton chemistry is driven by a high concentration of protons ([H⁺]), which is difficult to obtain using excited-state photoacids. Metastable-stable state photoacids (mPAHs) can reversibly generate a high [H⁺] under visible light with a moderate intensity. It has been widely applied in different fields, e.g. fueling dissipative assemblies, driving molecular machines, controlling organic reactions, powering nanoreactors, curing diseases, manipulating DNA and proteins, developing smart materials, capturing carbon dioxide in air etc. This article compares mPAH with excited-state photoacid as well as common acids e.g. HCl to explain its advantages. Recent studies on the thermal dynamics, kinetics, and photoreaction of mPAHs are reported. The advantages and disadvantages of the three types of mPAHs, i.e. merocyanine, indazole, and TCF mPAHs, are compared with regard to photo-induced [H⁺], switching rate, and other properties. The mechanisms of controlling or driving functional systems, which involve acid-base reactions, acid catalyzed reactions, ionic bonding, coordination bonding, hydrogen bonding, ion exchange, cation-π interaction, solubility, swellability, permeability, and pH change in biosystems, are described. Applications of mPAHs in the chemical, material, energy, biotechnology and biomedical fields published in the past 5 years are reviewed. Prospects in the development and application of mPAHs are discussed.