Abstract: A fog-based self-powered system for collecting atmospheric water and generating electricity is presented. The system includes a mesh-based fog harvester for accumulating water droplets from atmospheric moisture. A droplet distributor receives accumulated water droplets from the mesh-based fog harvester. A droplet electrical generator harvests energy from the water droplets accumulated in the droplet distributor. The droplet electrical generator includes an electret surface for receiving the water droplets from the droplet distributor and at least two electrodes. A water reservoir receives water droplets from the droplet electrical generator.

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical morphologies widely exist in natural and biomimetic materials, which impart preferential functions including liquid and mass transport, energy conversion, and signal transmission for various applications. While notable progress has been made in the design and manufacturing of various hierarchical materials, the state-of-the-art approaches suffer from limited materials selection, high costs, as well as low processing throughput. Herein, by harnessing the configurable elastic crack engineering-controlled formation and configuration of cracks in elastic materials, an effect normally avoided in various industrial processes, the present invention provides a facile and powerful technique to enable the faithful transfer of arbitrary hierarchical structures with broad material compatibility and structural and functional integrity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat transferring device and a method for making thereof. The heat transferring device has a thermal conducting substrate and a porous layer. The thermal conducting substrate has a plurality of protrusions and concave bottom surfaces. The concave bottom surfaces are located between the protrusions. The porous layer is embedded between the protrusions. The present invention also provides a high temperature material transferring system comprising a cylindrical container and the heat transferring device disposed on the surface of the cylindrical container.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vented individual negative pressure enclosure system for extracting potentially contaminated air from an individual. The system includes an adjustable assemblable and disassemblable frame structure configured to surround a bed, chair, or toilet. A vapor-impermeable sheet extends over the frame structure. An air purification system communicates with a plurality of extraction vents positioned on or in the frame structure. The air purification system may be a water-filtration-based air purification system including a particle growth tube for increasing the size of aerosol droplets to facilitate capture. The air purification system includes a pump and HEPA filter and, optionally, a UV sterilizer.

Abstract: A fog-based self-powered system for collecting atmospheric water and generating electricity is presented. The system includes a mesh-based fog harvester for accumulating water droplets from atmospheric moisture. A droplet distributor receives accumulated water droplets from the mesh-based fog harvester. A droplet electrical generator harvests energy from the water droplets accumulated in the droplet distributor. The droplet electrical generator includes an electret surface for receiving the water droplets from the droplet distributor and at least two electrodes. A water reservoir receives water droplets from the droplet electrical generator.

Abstract: The present invention provides a heat transferring device and a method for making thereof. The heat transferring device has a thermal conducting substrate and a porous layer. The thermal conducting substrate has a plurality of protrusions and concave bottom surfaces. The concave bottom surfaces are located between the protrusions. The porous layer is embedded between the protrusions. The present invention also provides a high temperature material transferring system comprising a cylindrical container and the heat transferring device disposed on the surface of the cylindrical container.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an electricity generator. The generator resembles a transistor and powered by impacting liquid such as water droplets. The generator has a glass substrate defining an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface. The substrate includes i) a region with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated on the upwardly facing surface and acting as a virtual source and ii) an electrode arranged adjacent said PTFE coated region on the upwardly facing surface and acting as a drain in that the PTFE coated region and the electrode are positioned on the upwardly facing surface to receive an impacting water droplet acting as a gate, and wherein circuitry of the generator connects the virtual source and the drain via an electrical connection passing the downwardly facing surface, and electricity is harvested via the electrical connection.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an electricity generator. The generator resembles a transistor and powered by impacting liquid such as water droplets. The generator has a glass substrate defining an upwardly facing surface and a downwardly facing surface. The substrate includes i) a region with polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coated on the upwardly facing surface and acting as a virtual source and ii) an electrode arranged adjacent said PTFE coated region on the upwardly facing surface and acting as a drain in that the PTFE coated region and the electrode are positioned on the upwardly facing surface to receive an impacting water droplet acting as a gate, and wherein circuitry of the generator connects the virtual source and the drain via an electrical connection passing the downwardly facing surface, and electricity is harvested via the electrical connection.

Abstract: Three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical morphologies widely exist in natural and biomimetic materials, which impart preferential functions including liquid and mass transport, energy conversion, and signal transmission for various applications. While notable progress has been made in the design and manufacturing of various hierarchical materials, the state-of-the-art approaches suffer from limited materials selection, high costs, as well as low processing throughput. Herein, by harnessing the configurable elastic crack engineering-controlled formation and configuration of cracks in elastic materials, an effect normally avoided in various industrial processes, the present invention provides a facile and powerful technique to enable the faithful transfer of arbitrary hierarchical structures with broad material compatibility and structural and functional integrity.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a superhydrophobic surface arrangement, an article having the same and a method of making same. The arrangement is configured for generating, upon contact by water droplets, pancaking bouncing and reducing liquid contact time. The arrangement has an array of posts residing on a surface and extending from the surface, said posts having an elongate configuration with a base portion at one end and an upper portion at an opposite end. By way of the configuration of the posts and the Weber number the surface arrangement in use pancake bouncing of liquid droplets and reduction of contact time of the liquid droplets are effected.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an adhesive system. The system comprises a guest copolymer portion and a host copolymer portion. The guest copolymer portion includes 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) acting as an adhesive moiety, a recognition molecule and a hydrophobic molecule connecting the adhesive moiety and the recognition molecule. The host copolymer portion includes a macrocyclic host molecule from a host family of supramolecules for specifically binding with the guest copolymer at the recognition molecule, and a polymer with temperature dependent wettability.

Abstract: There is disclosed a unidirectional liquid transport system. The system, or a liquid diode, has an array of elongate units. Each unit is defined by a surrounding fencing, and includes a region generally resembling a U-shaped micro-scale island with a proximal end on one side having an opening and a distal end on the opposite side thereof. A channel is defined between a lateral side of the island and an adjacent fencing thereof, and the channel is divergent from the proximal end towards the distal location on the opposite side thereof. The island includes a reentrant member configured to, upon contact with droplets of a liquid to be transported, initially arrest flow of the liquid and produce a pinning acting to allow building up of excess surface energy, and subsequently cause coalescence of the liquid thus converting the surface energy to kinetic energy for movement of the liquid; and surfaces of the units are fabricated on silicon wafer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a unidirectional liquid transport system. The system, or a liquid diode, has an array of elongate units. Each unit is defined by a surrounding fencing, and includes a region generally resembling a U-shaped micro-scale island with a proximal end on one side having an opening and a distal end on the opposite side thereof. A channel is defined between a lateral side of the island and an adjacent fencing thereof, and the channel is divergent from the proximal end towards the distal location on the opposite side thereof. The island includes a reentrant member configured to, upon contact with droplets of a liquid to be transported, initially arrest flow of the liquid and produce a pinning acting to allow building up of excess surface energy, and subsequently cause coalescence of the liquid thus converting the surface energy to kinetic energy for movement of the liquid; and surfaces of the units are fabricated on silicon wafer.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a superhydrophobic surface arrangement, an article having the same and a method of making same. The arrangement is configured for generating, upon contact by water droplets, pancaking bouncing and reducing liquid contact time. The arrangement has an array of posts residing on a surface and extending from the surface, said posts having an elongate configuration with a base portion at one end and an upper portion at an opposite end. By way of the configuration of the posts and the Weber number the surface arrangement in use pancake bouncing of liquid droplets and reduction of contact time of the liquid droplets are effected.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with an adhesive system. The system comprises a guest copolymer portion and a host copolymer portion. The guest copolymer portion includes 3,4-dihydroxy-L-phenylalanine (DOPA) acting as an adhesive moiety, a recognition molecule and a hydrophobic molecule connecting the adhesive moiety and the recognition molecule. The host copolymer portion includes a macrocyclic host molecule from a host family of supramolecules for specifically binding with the guest copolymer at the recognition molecule, and a polymer with temperature dependent wettability.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with a superhydrophobic arrangement. The arrangement has an array of posts residing on a surface, the posts having an elongate configuration with a base portion and an upper portion. The posts have a height from 0.3 to 2 mm, a center to center distance of two adjacent the posts is from 0.1 to 0.4 mm, and surface of the posts is coated with hydrophobic nanoflowers.

Abstract: A chemiluminescence-based detection system and method for counting blood cells by capturing and isolating target blood cells flowing through a microfluidic chip and detecting light emitted by the captured target blood cells.

Abstract: A chemiluminescence-based detection system and method for counting blood cells by capturing and isolating target blood cells flowing through a microfluidic chip and detecting light emitted by the captured target blood cells.