| abstract |
A material for manipulating liquid volumes includes a porous substrate having first and second surfaces; and a liquid-manipulating pattern disposed on the first surface, the pattern having a first reservoir connected to a target point via a first wedge-shaped transport element to enable liquid transport from the target point to the first reservoir regardless of gravity, wherein the first surface is one of hydrophobic or superhydrophobic, and wherein the first wedge-shaped transport element is one of superhydrophilic when the first surface is hydrophobic, superhydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic, and hydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic. The pattern can include a second reservoir connected to the target point via a second wedge-shaped transport element to enable liquid transport from the target point to the second reservoir regardless of gravity. |