Miniaturized laboratories (mini-lab) centered on droplet/bubble-based microreactions hold immense promise for various applications. Magnetic excitation is widely utilized in open-surface minilaboratories, but the intrinsic properties of magnetic media limit mini-lab functionalization. Here we propose a mini-lab assembled from two femtosecond laser-engineered heterogeneous components, leveraging synergistic effects to extend functionality in droplet/bubble-based mini laboratories. The system comprises two distinct components, each capable of independent droplet/bubble manipulation: a magnetic superhydrophobic component integrating strong magnetic/photothermal properties (minimum driving magnetic field of ∼12.7 mT), and a magnetic transparent component featuring superior transparency (transmittance of ∼83.1%) for unimpeded visual access to the encapsulated liquid. The mini-lab is assembled from two components that not only combine their individual strengths but also generate additional functions through their synergy. It can effectively mitigate evaporation (∼70.8%), prevent contamination, and move on various substrates. This synergy strategy endows the mini-lab with advantages for compact laboratory applications, demonstrating its versatile capabilities.
Jiang et al. (Fri,) studied this question.