Provided is a method of fabricating a core-shell structured nanowire on a tip of an optical fiber, on a substrate, or any position on other target objects, and a nanowire fabricated by the method. The nanowire fabricated by the method of the present invention may be used for a drug delivery system, a sensor, an optical waveguide, and the like.

The present invention relates to textile articles and clothing such as outdoor garments, indoor garments, and commercial protective wear exposed to contact mixtures of water and oil, swimwear and winter wear exposed to mixtures of water and air. At least part of these textile articles possess a surface provided with at least one of 1) a high surface area, 2) hierarchical pattern, 3) contact angles such that hydrophilic portion of a contact mixture possesses a high contact angle and the hydrophobic portion of a contact mixture possesses a low contact angle, and 4) hysteresis angle greater than 5 degrees. Hydrophobic/Hydrophilic contact mixtures of the present invention can be surfaces where water and or ice are present in combination with oil and or air. The textile articles of the present invention resist slippage on surfaces possessing hydrophobic/hydrophilic contact mixtures.

A microfabricated device having at least one gas-entrapping feature formed therein in a configuration that entraps air bubbles upon wetting the feature with a solvent or solution is described. The device includes a sacrificial residue in contact with the gas-entrapping feature, the dissolution of which guides the wetting of the gas-entrapping feature.

A method for functionalizing a surface of a dielectric plate that is transparent to visible light—to be able to examine the dielectric plate using optical microscopy—includes depositing a negative film on the dielectric slide. The negative film comprises a polymerizable composition that polymerizes when exposed to an electron beam. The polymerizable composition is polymerized—by exposing the negative film to the electronic beam—at a set of points representing a preset pattern. Non-polymerized portions of the polymerizable composition are dissolved—to develop the negative film—forming a set of pads of polymerized portions of the polymerizable composition. Each pad corresponds to one point of the preset pattern. A metal film is disposed on the negative film, and the developed negative film is dissolved to define holes through the metal film. Each of the holes corresponds to a base of one pad of the set of pads.

A method for forming a nanostructure includes coating an exposed surface of a base layer with a patterning layer. The method further includes forming a pattern in the patterning layer including nano-patterned non-random openings, such that a bottom portion of the non-random openings provides direct access to the exposed surface of the base layer. The method also includes depositing a material in the non-random openings in the patterning layer, such that the material contacts the exposed surface to produce repeating individually articulated nano-scale features. The method includes removing remaining portions of the patterning layer. The method further includes forming an encapsulation layer on exposed surfaces of the repeating individually articulated nanoscale features and the exposed surface of the base layer.

The present disclosure provides a method for the surface modification of microstructured components having a polar surface, in particular for high-pressure applications. According to the method, a microstructured component is contacted, in particular treated, with a modification reagent, wherein the surface properties of the component are modified by chemical and/or physical interaction of the component surface and of the modification reagent.

Provided herein is a hierarchical superhydrophobic surface comprising an array of first geometrical features disposed on a substrate comprising a first material and a terminal level disposed on the second features, wherein the terminal level comprises a second material, the second material being different from the first material. The second material has a hydrophilicity different from the hydrophilicity of at least one of 1) the hydrophilicity of the second material and 2) hydrophilicity induced by the hierarchical structure. The present disclosure further includes methods of preparing hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces and medical devices comprising the hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces.

Provided are systems and methods for the post-treatment of dry adhesive microstructures. The microstructures may be post-treated to comprise mushroom-like flaps at their tips to interface with the contact surface. In some aspects, a change in material composition of the microstructures in a dry adhesive may affect mechanical properties to enhance or diminish overall adhesive performance. For example, conductive additives can be added to the material to improve adhesive performance. In other aspects, microstructures comprising conductive material may allow for pre-load engagement sensing systems to be integrated into the microstructures.

An electrochemical catch-release system (1) for repeated use comprising pH-responsive polymers (2) covalently linked to a structure (3) via a monolayer (4) of eletrochemically insensitive aryl bonds, forming a polyelectrolyte arrangement (5), the polyelectrolyte arrangement (5) being arranged to, when the covalently bounded polymers (2) are in a neutral state, catch an entity (6) being a protein, a vesicle, or a compound modified with poly(ethylene glycol) by non-electrostatic interactions e.g. hydrogen bonds, and when the polymers (2) are in a charged state, release by electrostatic repulsion an entity (6) captured by the polyelectrolyte arrangement (5). The system also comprising a device (7) for applying an electrochemical potential to the polyelectrolyte arrangement (5) to induce a switch of the polyelectrolyte arrangement (5) from the neutral state to the charged state or the reverse in the presence of redox active species.

Provided are systems and methods for the post-treatment of dry adhesive microstructures. The microstructures may be post-treated to comprise mushroom-like flaps at their tips to interface with the contact surface. In some aspects, a change in material composition of the microstructures in a dry adhesive may affect mechanical properties to enhance or diminish overall adhesive performance. For example, conductive additives can be added to the material to improve adhesive performance. In other aspects, microstructures comprising conductive material may allow for preload engagement sensing systems to be integrated into the microstructures.