The ability to create superhydrophilic-superhydrophobic micropatterns and arrays is essential for a variety of applications ranging from microfluidics to cell microarrays and high-throughput screenings. Here we report a novel facile method for printing superhydrophilic patterns on a superhydrophobic surface using a simple microcontact printer. The formation of superhydrophilic areas is based on printing an ethanol solution containing a phospholipid onto a superhydrophobic porous polymer surface. This creates a supported lipid layer on the polymer surface, thereby switching from superhydrophobicity to superhydrophilicity. Therefore, the amphiphilic lipid functions as an ink that can be printed to create superhydrophilic patterns on the superhydrophobic surface.
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