Liquid as Plasma Mask for Constructing Arbitrary Area with Contrary Wettability on Hydrophobic Textiles

Materials with contrary wettability have various functions and applications. Common methods such as chemical modification and secondary treatment with solid mask to achieve relevant wettability either have harmful additives or construct fixed shape. Herein, liquid is introduced as a plasma mask for constructing arbitrary area with contrary wettability on hydrophobic textiles. In atmospheric plasma working region, exposed area of textiles achieves hydrophilic while liquid shielding area maintains the original wettability. Water-ethanol mixtures with a broad range of surface tension are chosen as template liquid to meet most hydrophobic textiles with the property of erasable evaporation without residue. Liquid mask with fluidity can be drawn in any shape at any time, meanwhile, plasma treatment highlights the merit of no chemical additive. Higher resolution will be achieved when the operation process is further refined. This study may provide insights for constructing advanced infiltrating materials and replacing solid with liquid in more application scenarios. Liquid is chosen as plasma mask for constructing arbitrary area with contrary wettability on hydrophobic textiles. Exposed area achieves hydrophilic while the liquid shielding area maintains the original wettability. Compared with solid, liquid mask can be drawn in any shape at any time without residue, additional preparation, or recycling process.image

Automated summary

The study introduces a method using liquid as a plasma mask to construct arbitrary areas with contrary wettability on hydrophobic textiles. Compared with solid masks, the liquid mask can be drawn in any shape at any time without residue, additional preparation, or recycling process.