A stretchable slippery surface fabricated by femtosecond laser direct writing

Surface conditions of flexible electronic devices can affect their accuracy, so it is necessary to keep surfaces clean and stable to ensure their correct-long-term operation. The Nepenthes-inspired slippery surface has excellent self-cleaning, stability, and self-healing properties. A slippery surface with stretching durability is significant for application to a flexible sensors surface. As an advanced micro-nanomanufacturing method, femtosecond laser has become an effective method for preparing porous structures to process a slippery surface. In this study, a femtosecond laser was used to prepare an interconnected porous structure on pre-stretched polydimethylsiloxane in one step. The slippery surface was prepared after being infused with lubricant, which maintained the slippery performance under tensile conditions and after hundreds of stretch cycles. Moreover, it exhibits remarkable self-cleaning and chemical stability. This stretchable slippery surface prepared by femtosecond laser direct writing presents good prospects for flexible electronic devices that require a stable surface in various extreme environmental applications.

Automated summary

The study prepared a slippery surface with excellent self-cleaning, stability, and self-healing properties, inspired by the Nepenthes plant. The stretchability of the slippery surface is essential for application in flexible sensor surfaces. By using femtosecond laser, an interconnected porous structure was prepared on pre-stretched polydimethylsiloxane, and then infused with lubricant to create the slippery surface. This stretchable slippery surface maintained its performance even under tensile conditions and after multiple stretch cycles, demonstrating remarkable self-cleaning and chemical stability. The femtosecond laser direct writing technique holds promise for stable surfaces in various extreme environmental applications of flexible electronic devices.