Need a fast and non-invasive way to map surface charges? This study introduces a novel microchip based on liquid crystals for rapidly assessing surface charge distribution on solid and soft surfaces. The chip uses a micropillar array on a transparent indium tin oxide substrate, with liquid crystal filling the gaps. When an object is placed on the chip, its local surface charge affects the liquid crystal's orientation, changing transmitted light intensity. By calibrating the chip in a three-electrode configuration and demonstrating its validity using a borosilicate glass slide, the researchers show how the distribution of surface charge can be accurately quantified. The method offers noninvasive mapping without chemical or physical modifications, holding broad potential for biomedical research and advanced material design. The chip enables the non-contact measurement, making it useful for samples sensitive to physical touch. Ultimately, this technology contributes to advances in both material science and biomedical engineering by providing a convenient, precise method for surface characterization. The chip will be a useful tool in characterizing surface charge in various applications including biomedical materials and cellular biology.
Considering the journal’s wide coverage of scientific and technological advances, this paper fits well, presenting a novel microchip design using liquid crystals for rapid surface charge mapping. The interdisciplinary nature of the research, involving microfabrication and analytical chemistry, is typical of the journal’s content. By offering a non-invasive method for surface charge assessment, this study enhances the journal’s body of work and promotes further exploration in related fields.