Spontaneous wicking on textured silicone substrates for controlled fluid transport
A surface-engineering technology that enables spontaneous wicking along microchannels in silicone substrates, with wicking controlled by channel design or substrate strain. Suitable for passive fluid transport in soft, flexible devices and moisture-management applications.
Overview
This technology enables spontaneous wicking of liquids along channels embedded in silicone (PDMS) substrates, mimicking the way sweat moves on skin. By controlling the substrate topography or by mechanically straining the substrate, a non-wicking silicone surface can be switched to a wicking one. Because silicones are moderately hydrophobic, the surface tension of the wicked fluid affects performance; however, combined surface modification can extend the approach to liquids with a wide range of surface energies. This provides a route to passive, no-moving-part fluid transport in soft, flexible substrates for applications such as skin-interfaced devices, microfluidic components, diagnostic systems, and moisture-management materials.
Technical specifications
- Wicking is achieved by embedding channels into silicone substrates, with channel geometry used to direct fluid flow.
- Substrate strain can transition a non-wicking substrate into a wicking substrate, enabling mechanical control of wetting without changing surface chemistry.
- Surface modification can be combined with topographic design to accommodate liquids of different surface tensions.
- The effect has been demonstrated in laboratory testing, with data and video evidence of the wicking behavior available on request.
Potential limitations include dependence on fluid surface tension and substrate design. The technique’s ability to meet specific industry needs has not yet been established, so application-specific validation is required.
Technology readiness level
The technology is at an early stage. Laboratory testing has established methods for spontaneous wicking and strain-controlled switching, but the technique has not yet been validated in an industrial context. Future validation plans will be developed following discussions with industry partners, making this an early-stage laboratory demonstration ready for collaborative development and feasibility studies.
About Binghamton University
Binghamton University is a large, comprehensive public research university in the State University of New York system. Industry collaborates on campus through an advanced technologies complex with shared labs and prototyping facilities, and a health sciences campus adjacent to regional hospital partners. A downtown incubator and maker spaces connect faculty and startups with suppliers and manufacturing in New York’s Southern Tier, while co-op and internship pathways build talent pipelines for corporate R&D. Research is supported by competitive federal funding from agencies such as NSF, NIH, DOE, and DoD, with additional state and industry sponsorship. A dedicated technology transfer office streamlines IP protection, licensing, and startup formation.
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