Microscale patterning of hydrophobic/hydrophilic surfaces by spatially controlled galvanic displacement reactions.

In this letter, we report the design and fabrication of different metal patterns for the realization of spatially controlled hydrophobic/hydrophilic regions with micrometer resolution. The fabrication procedure, based on a combination of lithographic techniques and wet-chemistry reactions (namely, spontaneous Galvanic displacement reactions) is reliable, undemanding, and highly versatile, allowing the achievement of precise spatial control along with the use of a wide variety of different materials.