Switchable capillary and drainage containers for programmable three-dimensional liquid manipulation

Switchable capillary and drainage containers for programmable three-dimensional liquid manipulation | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Switchable capillary and drainage containers for programmable three-dimensional liquid manipulation Yiyuan Zhang, Zhandong Huang, Zheren Cai, Feifei Qin, Xiaobing Cai, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-1833016/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Capillarity-guided liquid manipulations are ubiquitous in nature. Multifarious bioinspired capillary microfluidic devices have been developed to control different liquid behaviors. However, current capillary systems still suffer substantial limitations in flexible three-dimensional (3D) liquid manipulation, especially in reversible liquid capture and release, programmable 3D liquid patterning, and large-scale multi-liquid manipulation. Here, we propose “switchable capillary and drainage containers” composed of connected frame units for versatile programmable 3D liquid manipulation. A small difference in the frame connections induces vastly distinct liquid behaviors, namely, liquid capture in capillary containers and liquid release in drainage containers. Liquid capture or release can be reversibly switched by establishing or breaking the liquid continuity between containers. Using predefined frame connections allows programmable 3D patterning of unary and binary liquids, enabling parallel multi-variable studies. The containers are proved to be powerful fluidic platforms with applications including reversible capillary sampling and release, high-flow evaporative humidifier, and efficient CO 2 capture. We envision that the containers will open broad applications in materials science, interfacial chemistry, and biomedical research. Main text Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryDiscussion.pdf SupplementaryVideoLegends.pdf SupplementaryVideo1XXXCapillarycontainerXXXandXXXdrainagecontainerXXX.mp4 “Capillary container” and “drainage container” SupplementaryVideo2XXXDrainagecontainerXXXwithdifferentdoublerodconnectionmethods.mp4 “Drainage container” with different double-rod connection methods. SupplementaryVideo3Capillaryanddrainagecontainerarrays.mp4 Capillary and drainage container arrays SupplementaryVideo4Thedetaileddrainageprocessofthedrainagecontainers.mp4 The detailed drainage process of the drainage containers SupplementaryVideo5Numericalsimulationoftherisinguniformandnonuniformcapillarytubes.mp4 Numerical simulation of the rising uniform and non-uniform capillary tubes SupplementaryVideo6Numericalsimulationoftherisingcapillaryanddrainagecontainer.mp4 Numerical simulation of the rising capillary and drainage container SupplementaryVideo7Drainagephenomenonofdrainagecontainerswithdifferentgeometries.mp4 Drainage phenomenon of drainage containers with different geometries SupplementaryVideo8Convertingdrainagecontainersintocapillarycontainersbypiercingtheliquidfilm.mp4 Converting drainage containers into capillary containers by piercing the liquid film SupplementaryVideo9Convertingdrainagecontainersintocapillarycontainersbyreducingtheliftingspeed.mp4 Converting drainage containers into capillary containers by reducing the lifting speed SupplementaryVideo10Releaseliquidsbythedroplettodropletcontact.mp4 Release liquids by the droplet-to-droplet contact SupplementaryVideo11Releaseliquidswithliquidfilms.mp4 Release liquids with liquid films SupplementaryVideo12Releaseliquidsatdifferentliquidfilmheights.mp4 Release liquids at different liquid film heights SupplementaryVideo13Releaseliquidsatdesignatedlocationswithpredesignedliquidfilms.mp4 Release liquids at designated locations with pre-designed liquid films SupplementaryVideo14Release3Dliquidarraywiththesoapfilmarray.mp4 Release 3D liquid array with the soap film array SupplementaryVideo15Thebasicprincipleof3Dprogrammableliquidpatterning.mp4 The basic principle of 3D programmable liquid patterning SupplementaryVideo16Patterningof2DletterpatternsofXXXUXXXXXXWXXXandXXXOXXX.mp4 Patterning of 2D letter patterns of “U”, “W”, and “O” SupplementaryVideo17Patterningofthehourglasslike3Dliquidpattern.mp4 Patterning of the hourglass-like 3D liquid pattern SupplementaryVideo18Patterningofotherpredesigned3Dliquidpatterns.mp4 Patterning of other pre-designed 3D liquid patterns SupplementaryVideo19Demonstrationof3Dprogrammablebinaryliquidpatterning.mp4 Demonstration of 3D programmable binary liquid patterning Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-1833016","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":137458852,"identity":"6c837184-9995-43f9-8ce1-69584bed7153","order_by":0,"name":"Yiyuan Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"The University of Western Ontario","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yiyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":137458853,"identity":"7dec5b60-6e80-4b2e-8b78-8ac09651e718","order_by":1,"name":"Zhandong Huang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Institute of 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pattern","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryVideo17Patterningofthehourglasslike3Dliquidpattern.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1833016/v1/3782a3f4ee3597b6277c578a.mp4"},{"id":26776756,"identity":"d0026bfa-0999-473c-aac3-673c5acdf1dc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2022-09-21 16:31:06","extension":"mp4","order_by":20,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":11677042,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Patterning of other pre-designed 3D liquid patterns","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryVideo18Patterningofotherpredesigned3Dliquidpatterns.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1833016/v1/55d17287bd0f7dd3a197c052.mp4"},{"id":26775936,"identity":"c9d77115-3a27-43fd-962b-73bda4b7a3f8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2022-09-21 16:21:06","extension":"mp4","order_by":21,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":30145752,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"Demonstration of 3D programmable binary liquid patterning","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryVideo19Demonstrationof3Dprogrammablebinaryliquidpatterning.mp4","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-1833016/v1/1093dacdf82d10c9cf83a7c7.mp4"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Switchable capillary and drainage containers for programmable three-dimensional liquid manipulation","fulltext":[{"header":"Full Text","content":"This preprint is available for \u003ca href='/article/rs-1833016/latest.pdf' target='_blank'\u003edownload as a PDF\u003c/a\u003e."}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":false,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research 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Multifarious bioinspired capillary microfluidic devices have been developed to control different liquid behaviors. However, current capillary systems still suffer substantial limitations in flexible three-dimensional (3D) liquid manipulation, especially in reversible liquid capture and release, programmable 3D liquid patterning, and large-scale multi-liquid manipulation. Here, we propose \u0026ldquo;switchable capillary and drainage containers\u0026rdquo; composed of connected frame units for versatile programmable 3D liquid manipulation. A small difference in the frame connections induces vastly distinct liquid behaviors, namely, liquid capture in capillary containers and liquid release in drainage containers. Liquid capture or release can be reversibly switched by establishing or breaking the liquid continuity between containers. Using predefined frame connections allows programmable 3D patterning of unary and binary liquids, enabling parallel multi-variable studies. The containers are proved to be powerful fluidic platforms with applications including reversible capillary sampling and release, high-flow evaporative humidifier, and efficient CO\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e capture. We envision that the containers will open broad applications in materials science, interfacial chemistry, and biomedical research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMain text\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Switchable capillary and drainage containers for programmable three-dimensional liquid manipulation","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2022-09-21 16:21:03","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-1833016/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"0754d7a1-7507-43c9-95e6-d24774381143","owner":[],"postedDate":"September 21st, 2022","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2023-02-28T14:10:29+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2022-09-21 16:21:03","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-1833016","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-1833016","identity":"rs-1833016","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"7rjqhiLT3MXkJMwkYKINL","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}