Janus liquid marbles: Fabrication techniques, recent developments, and applications

Abstract

Liquid marbles (LMs) are nonsticky droplets stabilized by hydrophobic solid particles that are adsorbed at the liquid-air interface. LMs are emerging as a potential platform in digital microfluidics, sensing applications, storage unit, biological incubation, and cosmetic applications. Incorporating multifunctional particles to form Janus liquid marble (JLM) could enhance the capabilities of the pristine LM.JLMs are multifunctional next-generation LMs comprising two hemispherical domains of distinct physicochemical properties such as size, hydrophobicity, electrical conductivity, surface functionalization, stimuli-responsivity, and so on.The JLMs offer precise control on the manipulability and enhanced performance over pristine LMs. Though the properties, applications, and progress of LMs are detailed in the recent literature, a focused review encompassing the fabrication, recent developments, potential applications of JLMs, and the challenges regarding its reliable fabrication remains a gap in the literature. The review provides insights into the importance of JLMs, systematically discussing the fabrication strategies, applications, challenges, and future directions.

Innovations in exploiting photo-controlled Marangoni flows for soft matter actuations

“…Precise control of miniature-sized liquid droplets 13,106 and liquid marbles 107,108 on open-surface platforms (liquids, solids, or slippery surfaces) is of utmost relevance in fundamental as well as technological research. 109,110 The controlled transport of liquid droplets/marbles can be realized by exploiting the light-modulated thermocapillary 22 or solutocapillary effect.…”

Liquid marbles: review of recent progress in physical properties, formation techniques, and lab-in-a-marble applications in microreactors and biosensors

“…3C). 112 Multi-faced LMs also provide insights for precise patterning with functional particles on the droplet, namely “multi-faced LMs”, which provides the synergetic functionality to LMs that cannot be achieved by simply mixing functional particles.…”

Magnetic nanofluid‐based liquid marble for a self‐powered mechanosensation

“…Inspired by this phenomenon, Aussillous and Quéré 15 first proposed liquid marbles in 2001. Liquid marbles were formed by liquid droplets stabilized by solid particles adsorbed at the gas–liquid interface, 16,17 exhibiting excellent nonstick properties, elasticity, 18–20 and stability, 21 which cause drastically reduced adhesion to solid and liquid surfaces. Due to these characteristics, liquid marbles have garnered great attention for applications in cosmetics, microfluidic, transport, 22 miniature reactors, 23–27 or gas storage, 28 of which the self‐powered mechanosensing field has not been explored.…”