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Electrotunable liquid sulfur microdroplets

Author

Listed:
  • Guangmin Zhou

    (Stanford University
    Tsinghua University)

  • Ankun Yang

    (Stanford University)

  • Yifei Wang

    (Stanford University)

  • Guoping Gao

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Allen Pei

    (Stanford University)

  • Xiaoyun Yu

    (Stanford University)

  • Yangying Zhu

    (Stanford University)

  • Linqi Zong

    (Stanford University)

  • Bofei Liu

    (Stanford University)

  • Jinwei Xu

    (Stanford University)

  • Nian Liu

    (Stanford University
    Georgia Institute of Technology)

  • Jinsong Zhang

    (Stanford University)

  • Yanxi Li

    (Stanford University)

  • Lin-Wang Wang

    (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)

  • Harold Y. Hwang

    (Stanford University
    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

  • Mark L. Brongersma

    (Stanford University)

  • Steven Chu

    (Stanford University
    Stanford University)

  • Yi Cui

    (Stanford University
    SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory)

Abstract

Manipulating liquids with tunable shape and optical functionalities in real time is important for electroactive flow devices and optoelectronic devices, but remains a great challenge. Here, we demonstrate electrotunable liquid sulfur microdroplets in an electrochemical cell. We observe electrowetting and merging of sulfur droplets under different potentiostatic conditions, and successfully control these processes via selective design of sulfiphilic/sulfiphobic substrates. Moreover, we employ the electrowetting phenomena to create a microlens based on the liquid sulfur microdroplets and tune its characteristics in real time through changing the shape of the liquid microdroplets in a fast, repeatable, and controlled manner. These studies demonstrate a powerful in situ optical battery platform for unraveling the complex reaction mechanism of sulfur chemistries and for exploring the rich material properties of the liquid sulfur, which shed light on the applications of liquid sulfur droplets in devices such as microlenses, and potentially other electrotunable and optoelectronic devices.

Suggested Citation

  • Guangmin Zhou & Ankun Yang & Yifei Wang & Guoping Gao & Allen Pei & Xiaoyun Yu & Yangying Zhu & Linqi Zong & Bofei Liu & Jinwei Xu & Nian Liu & Jinsong Zhang & Yanxi Li & Lin-Wang Wang & Harold Y. Hwa, 2020. "Electrotunable liquid sulfur microdroplets," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-14438-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14438-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Sophia Alim, 2021. "Web Accessibility of the Top Research-Intensive Universities in the UK," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.

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