In an era of rapid advancement in flexible electronics, microfluidic systems, and smart materials, conventional PDMS materials face functional limitations due to their inherent hydrophobic and insulating properties. This research presents a groundbreaking approach that combines PDMS/graphite composites with blue laser processing, developing a single-step, direct-write surface modification method.

Through precise control of graphite concentration (0-10 wt.%) and laser power, we achieved accurate tuning of surface electrical conductivity (1-1000 kΩ sq⁻¹) and wettability (contact angles 5°-145°). Compared to traditional infrared or UV laser systems, the blue laser method offers unique advantages including cost-effectiveness and precise selective heating. Graphite particles not only enhance laser absorption efficiency but also serve as anchoring points, significantly improving the mechanical stability of laser-induced graphene structures.

This method has been successfully applied to functional microfluidic chip fabrication, enabling precise droplet manipulation through electrowetting effects, opening new possibilities for next-generation flexible electronic devices and smart material systems.

This work has been published and featured on the Back Cover of Advanced Materials Interfaces.

Advanced Materials Interfaces
Direct-Write Laser Patterning of PDMS/Graphite Composites for Dual-Functional Surfaces with Tunable Conductivity and Wettability
https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/admi.202500243
https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202500243