1. Precursor Film Mediated Thermocapillary Motion of Low Surface Tension Microdroplets
- Author
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Teshima, Hideaki, Misra, Sirshendu, Takahashi, Koji, Mitra, Sushanta K, Teshima, Hideaki, Misra, Sirshendu, Takahashi, Koji, and Mitra, Sushanta K
- Abstract
type:Article, In contrast to microdroplet condensation with high contact angles, the one with low contact angles remains unclear. In this study, we investigated dynamics of microdroplet condensation of low surface tension liquids on two flat substrate surfaces by using reflection interference confocal microscopy. Spontaneous migration towards relatively larger droplets was first observed for the microdroplets nucleated on hydrophilic quartz surface. The moving microdroplets showed a contact angle hysteresis of ~0.5 °, which is much lower than the values observed on typical flat substrates and is within the range observed on slippery lubricant-infused porous surfaces. Because the microdroplets on hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane surface did not move, we concluded that the ultrathin precursor film is formed only on the hydrophilic surface, which reduces a resistive force to migration. Also, reduced size of droplets promotes the thermocapillary motion, which is induced by a gradient in local temperature inside a small microdroplet arising due to the difference in size of adjacent droplets.
- Published
- 2022