Self-Oscillating Liquid Gating Membranes with Periodic Gas Transport

Abstract

Liquid gating membranes with molecular-level smooth liquid lining layers break through the limitations of traditional porous membrane materials in gas transport control. Owing to the stable, self-healing, and reconfigurable properties, liquid gating membranes have shown wide application prospects in microfluidics, intelligent valves, chemical reactions, and beyond. Here, we develop a periodic gas transport control system based on the self-oscillating liquid gating membrane. Under continuous gas injection, the gas-liquid interface is reversibly deformed, enabling self-oscillating behavior for discontinuous and periodic gas transport without the need for any complex external changes to the original system. Meanwhile, our experimental analysis reveals that the periodic time and periodic gas release in the system can be regulated. Based on the cycle stability of the system, we further demonstrate the controllability of the system for periodic droplet manipulation in microfluidics. Looking forward, it will offer new opportunities for various applications, such as pneumatic robots, gas-involved chemical reactions, droplet microfluidics, and beyond.