Disclosed is a chip. The chip comprises a substrate (1) and a base layer (2) in pressing arrangement with the substrate; the substrate comprises a first surface (1a) and a second surface (1b) in opposite arrangement, reaction tank arrays formed by a plurality of flowing channels (11) are arranged on the first surface of the substrate at intervals, two oppositely arranged side walls (111, 112) of each flowing channel (11) stretch along the length direction of the flowing channel (11) and intersect at two ends of the flowing channel to form two tapered tail ends (113) with included angles, and a fluid inlet hole (12) and a fluid outlet hole (13) which are communicated with the second surface of the substrate are respectively provided on the surfaces of the two tapered tail ends (113); and the base layer (2) comprises a transparent base (21) and a spacing layer (22) arranged on the surface of the transparent base, the spacing layer (22) is in contact with the firs surface (1a) of the substrate, and a corrosion groove is provided on the spacing layer (22) corresponding to a position where the flowing channel (11) is located. The flow field distribution of the chip is good, the deformation rate of a base in the chip is low, and the fluid in the chip can be fully flushed or replaced. Also disclosed is an application of the chip.

Provided is an apparatus (100) for transporting sweat droplets (112) to a sensor. The apparatus comprises a chamber (102) for filling with sweat. The chamber has an inlet (104) lying adjacent the surface of the skin (106), which inlet permits sweat to enter and fill the chamber. The chamber has an outlet (114) from which a sweat droplet protrudes once the chamber has been filled. The apparatus further comprises a fluid transport assembly which is designed to enable the sweat droplet protruding from the outlet to become detached from the outlet of the chamber. The sweat droplet is subsequently transported by the fluid transport assembly to the sensor. Once the protruding droplet has been released from the outlet, the outlet is made available for a subsequent sweat droplet to protrude therefrom upon further filling of the chamber. The released sweat droplet is transported via the fluid transport assembly at least as fast as the subsequent sweat droplet protrudes from the outlet such that the respective sweat droplets do not contact each other before reaching the sensor. Thus, the apparatus supplies sweat to the sensor in a dropwise manner. Further provided is a system comprising the apparatus and a sensor, and a method for transporting sweat droplets to a sensor.

A force sensing probe (100) for sensing snap-in and/or pull-off force of a liquid droplet (111) brought into and/or separated from contact with a hydrophobic sample surface (151), respectively, comprises: a sensing tip (101); a sensor element (102) connected to the sensing tip, capable of sensing sub-micronewton forces acting on the sensing tip in a measurement direction; and a droplet holding plate (104) having a first main surface (105) and a hydrophilic second main surface (106) connected via a peripheral edge surface (107), and being attached via the first main surface to the sensing tip (101) perpendicularly relative to the measurement direction for receiving and holding a liquid droplet (111) as attached to the second main surface; the droplet holding plate comprising an electrically conductive surface layer (115), the first and the second main surfaces and the peripheral edge surface being defined by the surface layer.

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.

Systems, methods, compositions of matter, and kits for undermedia repellency are disclosed. In some cases, these involve a first volume of a first liquid presented in a second volume of a second liquid above a first location of a first surface. The first liquid, second liquid, and first location can have properties sufficient to give rise to undermedia perfect liquid repellency.

Disclosed is a chip. The chip comprises a substrate (1) and a base layer (2) in pressing arrangement with the substrate; the substrate comprises a first surface (1a) and a second surface (1b) in opposite arrangement, reaction tank arrays formed by a plurality of flowing channels (11) are arranged on the first surface of the substrate at intervals, two oppositely arranged side walls (111, 112) of each flowing channel (11) stretch along the length direction of the flowing channel (11) and intersect at two ends of the flowing channel to form two tapered tail ends (113) with included angles, and a fluid inlet hole (12) and a fluid outlet hole (13) which are communicated with the second surface of the substrate are respectively provided on the surfaces of the two tapered tail ends (113); and the base layer (2) comprises a transparent base (21) and a spacing layer (22) arranged on the surface of the transparent base, the spacing layer (22) is in contact with the firs surface (1a) of the substrate, and a corrosion groove is provided on the spacing layer (22) corresponding to a position where the flowing channel (11) is located. The flow field distribution of the chip is good, the deformation rate of a base in the chip is low, and the fluid in the chip can be fully flushed or replaced. Also disclosed is an application of the chip.

Disclosed are methods of manufacturing a SH surface including: creating a master with SH features by: depositing a rigid material onto a first surface, wherein the first surface is a shrinkable platform; shrinking the first surface by heating to create a SH surface, wherein the SH surface has micro- and nano-scale structural features that trap air pockets and prevent water from wetting the surface; forming the master by molding an epoxy with the shrunken first surface having a SH surface, wherein the master acquires the SH features of the first surface; and imprinting the SH features of the master onto a second surface to impart the SH features of the master onto the second surface. Some embodiments relate to a superhydrophobic (SH) surface, an article including a SH surface as disclosed, such as a microfluidic device or a food container.

Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, and methods for programmable fluidic processors. In one embodiment, the invention involves manipulating droplets across a reaction surface of the processor substantially contact-free of any surfaces. The reaction surface and the electrodes of the processor may include a coating repelling the droplets. Further, the present invention provides for a suitable suspending medium for repelling droplets away from fixed surfaces.

A material for manipulating liquid includes a porous substrate having first and second surfaces; and a wedge-shaped transport element disposed on one of the first and second surfaces, wherein the wedge-shaped transport element has a narrow end and a wide end, the wide end connected to a first reservoir, wherein the wedge-shaped transport element is configured to pass liquid from the narrow end to the wide end to the first reservoir, regardless of gravity, and wherein the first reservoir is configured to pass liquid away from the substrate in a z-direction opposite from the surface on which a liquid is deposited. The surface on which the wedge-shaped transport element is disposed is one of hydrophobic or superhydrophobic, and the wedge-shaped transport element is one of a) superhydrophilic when the first surface is hydrophobic, b) superhydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic, and c) hydrophilic when the first surface is superhydrophobic.

Fluidic devices and related methods are generally provided. The fluidic devices described herein may be useful, for example, for diagnostic purposes (e.g., detection of the presence of one or more disease causing bacteria in a patient sample). Unlike certain existing fluidic devices for diagnostic purposes, the fluidic devices and methods described herein may be useful for detecting the presence of numerous disease causing bacteria in a patient sample substantially simultaneously (e.g., in parallel). In some embodiments, the fluidic devices and methods described herein provide highly sensitive detection of microbes in relatively large fluidic samples (e.g., between 0.5 mL and about 5 mL), as compared to certain existing fluidic detection (e.g., microfluidic) devices and methods. In an exemplary embodiment, increased detection sensitivity of microbial pathogens present in a patient sample (e.g., blood) is performed by selectively removing human nucleic acid prior to sensitive detection of microbial infection. In some embodiments, the fluidic device allows for the identification of microbial pathogens directly from unprocessed blood without having to conduct blood culturing processes.