# US 2014/0150916 A1 · Surfaces, including microfluidic channels, with controlled wetting properties > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150916 A1 - Document ID: US20140150916A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/091,127 - Filed: 2013-11-26 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2008-03-28 - Assignees: BASF SE - Applicants: President and Fellows of Harvard College - Inventors: Adam R. Abate; Amber T. Krummel; Christian Holtze; David A. Weitz - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150916A1 ## CPC - F16L 9/14: Compound tubes, i.e. made of materials not wholly covered by any one of the preceding groups (F16L9/16 - F16L9/22 take precedence) - B81C 1/00206: {Processes for functionalising a surface, e.g. provide the surface with specific mechanical, chemical or biological properties} - B01F 23/41: Emulsifying - B01F 33/3011: using a sheathing stream of a fluid surrounding a central stream of a different fluid, e.g. for reducing the cross-section of the central stream or to produce droplets from the central stream - B01J 2219/00619: using hydrophilic or hydrophobic regions - B01J 2219/00635: by reactive plasma treatment - B01J 2219/00637: by coating it with another layer - B01L 3/502707: {characterised by the manufacture of the container or its components} - B81B 2201/058: Microfluidics not provided for in B81B2201/051 - B81B2201/054 - B81B 2203/0338: Channels - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B01L: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL LABORATORY APPARATUS FOR GENERAL USE - B81B: MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS, e.g. MICROMECHANICAL DEVICES (piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/00, H10N35/00) ## Abstract The present invention generally relates to coating materials, including photoactive coating materials. In some aspects of the invention, a sol-gel is provided that can be formed as a coating on a microfluidic channel. One or more portions of the sol-gel can be reacted to alter its hydrophobicity, in some cases. For instance, in one set of embodiments, a portion of the sol-gel may be exposed to light, such as ultraviolet light, which can be used to induce a chemical reaction in the sol-gel that alters its hydrophobicity. In one set of embodiments, the sol-gel can include a photoinitiator, that upon exposure to light, produces radicals. Optionally, the photoinitiator may be conjugated to a silane or other material within the sol-gel. The radicals so produced may be used to cause a polymerization reaction to occur on the surface of the sol-gel, thus altering the hydrophobicity of the surface. In some cases, various portions may be reacted or left unreacted, e.g., by controlling exposure to light (for instance, using a mask). Such treated surfaces within a microfluidic channel may be useful in a wide variety of applications, for instance, in the creation of emulsions such as multiple emulsions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An article, comprising: a sol-gel coating coated on at least a portion of a microfluidic channel, wherein the sol-gel comprises a moiety containing a double bond. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic channel is defined within a microfluidic device comprising polydimethylsiloxane. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the microfluidic channel is defined within a microfluidic device comprising glass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the sol-gel coating is relatively hydrophobic, and a second portion of the sol-gel coating is relatively hydrophilic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a silane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a fluorosilane. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises heptadecafluorooctylsilane. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises heptadecafluorosilane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a photoinitiator. ### Claim 10 (canceled) ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the coating comprises a moiety comprising a thiol. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The article of claim 9, wherein the photoinitiator is chemically coupled to a silane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The article of claim 12, wherein the photoinitiator is coupled to the silane via a urethane bond. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The article of claim 9, wherein the photoinitiator is Irgacure 2959. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the sol-gel coating has a thickness of no more than about 10 micrometers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sol-gel coating contains acrylic acid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the sol-gel coating comprises acrylic acid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The article of claim 17, wherein the acrylic acid is chemically bonded to the sol-gel coating. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The article of claim 1, wherein the portion of the sol-gel coating comprising acrylic acid is less hydrophobic than a portion of the sol-gel coating free of acrylic acid. ### Claim at position 20 20-60. (canceled)