Mismatched deformation in a bilayer composite with rigid coating on soft substrate results in complex and uniform topographic patterns, yet it remains challenging to heterogeneously pattern the upper coatings with… Click to show full abstract
Mismatched deformation in a bilayer composite with rigid coating on soft substrate results in complex and uniform topographic patterns, yet it remains challenging to heterogeneously pattern the upper coatings with various localized structures. Herein, a heterogeneous, 3D micro-structure composed of Ti3C2Tx titanium carbide (MXene) and single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) was fabricated using a one-step deformation of a thermally-responsive substrate with designed open holes. The mechanically deformed SWNT-MXene (s-MXene) structure was next transferred onto an elastomeric substrate, and the resulting s-MXene/elastomer bilayer device exhibited three localized surface patterns, including isotropic crumples, periodic wrinkles, and large papillae-like microstructures. By adjusting the number and pattern, the s-MXene papillae arrays exhibited superhydrophobicity (> 170°), strong, and tunable adhesive force (52.3-110.6 µN), and ultra-large liquid capacity (up to 35 µL) for programmable microdroplet manipulation. The electrically conductive nature of s-MXene further enabled proper thermal management on microdroplets via Joule heating for miniaturized antibacterial tests. The s-MXene papillae were further fabricated in a piezoresistive pressure sensor with high sensitivity (11.47 kPa-1). The output current changes of s-MXene sensors were highly sensitive to voice vibrations and responded identically with pre-recorded profiles, promising their application in accurate voice acquisition and recognition.
               
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