Direct Laser Writing of Superhydrophobic PDMS Elastomers for Controllable Manipulation via Marangoni Effect

Abstract

Abstract Direct light‐to‐work conversion enables manipulating remote devices in a contactless, controllable, and continuous manner. Although some pioneering works have already proven the feasibility of controlling devices through light‐irradiation‐induced surface tension gradients, challenges remain, including the flexible integration of efficient photothermal materials, multifunctional structure design, and fluidic drag reduction. This paper reports a facile one‐step method for preparing light‐driven floating devices with functional surfaces for both light absorption and drag reduction. The direct laser writing technique is employed for both arbitrary patterning and surface modification. By integrating the functional layer at the desired position or by designing asymmetric structures, three typical light‐driven floating devices with fast linear or rotational motions are demonstrated. Furthermore, these devices can be driven by a variety of light sources including sunlight, a filament lamp, or laser beams. The approach provides a simple, green, and cost‐effective strategy for building functional floating devices and smart light‐driven actuators.