Polypyrrole Whelk‐Like Arrays toward Robust Controlling Manipulation of Organic Droplets Underwater

Whelk‐like polypyrrole (PPy) arrays film is successfully prepared by electropolymerization of pyrrole in the presence of low‐surface‐energy tetraethylammonium perfluorooctanesulfonate (TEAPFOS) as dopant. The underwater wettability of PPy whelk‐like arrays can be successfully tuned by electrical doping/dedoping of PFOS ions. Interestingly, CCl4 droplets with microliter‐size as a representative sample are gathered together to form a larger droplet underwater at the potential of +0.8 V (vs Ag/AgCl), because PPy is in its PFOS‐doped states. Note that CCl4 droplet can climb uphill successfully on the inclined whelk‐like arrays PPy film under the applied potential of −1.0 V (vs Ag/AgCl), which may be attributed to wettability gradient derived from different oxidation states of PPy induced by electrochemical potential. These results may provide a simple strategy for on‐demand manipulation of organic droplets underwater at low voltage. Organic droplets collecting is successfully realized on horizontal polypyrrole (PPy) whelk‐like arrays film underwater under +0.8 V. Interestingly, an organic droplet can climb uphill on the inclined whelk‐like PPy arrays film under the applied electrochemical potential of −1.0 V. The wettability gradient from electrical field gradient is responsible for the driving force of the movement of organic droplet.