Potential of liquid-proof paper

Scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a new paper that does not absorb many types of liquid including water and oil. This new paper not only promises to be a reusable packaging material but also potentially a viable biomedical diagnostic tool.

Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have been able to reproduce the water-repellent effect on paper similar to what we see on lotus leaves.

"Paper is a mixed material made up of many fibers of different sizes, lengths and cross section It's not a circle, we believe this is the first time a super-hydrophobic surface has been created on a plastic material that is as traditional and as heterogeneous as paper. "

Paper can be made from soft wood fibers and standard hardwood. According to the traditional paper production process, cellulose from wood fibers will be broken down into smaller structures in the mechanical mill before being dipped in water. Water is then removed and butanol is used to inhibit the hydrogen bonding of the cellulose fibers. This allows scientists to better control the linkage, which is important for creating a waterproof effect.

Cellulosic material continues to be incorporated into the oxygen plasma etching process to remove impervious surfaces and rough treatment to form the geometry required for waterproofing. Finally, a thin layer of Teflon is applied to the material.

The researchers printed the patterns on the paper with waterproof ink on a regular printer. The droplets are then doused on paper but they are impermeable and remain in place by the adjacent waterproofing surface. This feature suggests that the paper can assume the role of a diagnostic tool in the future.

According to the team, the antigens can be liquid-permeable through paper-based models and may contain diagnostic chemicals. The interaction between diagnostic chemicals and antigens may indicate the presence of disease.

Up until now, the new Georgia Institute of Technology's impervious paper can only be produced in the form of a sample, measuring only about 10 centimeters in size on each side, but researchers believe that the scale of production can be increased.