Micro-object manipulation by decanol liquid lenses

The flexible and precise manipulation of droplets on an air-liquid interface with complex functions remains challenging. Herein, we propose a smart strategy for excellently manipulating target droplets by decanol liquid lenses. A moveable surface tension gradient field generated by decanol liquid lenses is responsible for realizing various functions of transportation, launching and splitting of target droplets. With such fascinating features, directional long-distance transportation and on-demand droplet coalescence are enabled. Moreover, paw-like liquid lenses are constructed, which realizes a complex process, including collection, capture, transportation and release of target droplets. Remarkably, this strategy can also be applied to manipulate particles and liquid marbles other than droplets, eliminating the limitation of object properties. This work offers a smart strategy for manipulating micro-objects, which shows great potential in applications such as lab-on-a-chip, diagnostics, analytical chemistry and bioengineering, etc.

Automated summary

This study proposes a smart strategy for manipulating droplets using decanol liquid lenses, enabling various operations such as transportation, launching, and coalescence. Additionally, the strategy can also be applied to manipulate particles and liquid marbles, expanding its potential applications. The findings offer new insights into micro-object manipulation and hold great promise in fields like lab-on-a-chip, diagnostics, analytical chemistry, and bioengineering.