Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026
11:20
Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Metal Surfaces for Anti-Icing Applications
Published on: August 15, 2018
Spontaneous breakdown of superhydrophobicity
Mauro Sbragaglia1, Alisia M Peters, Christophe Pirat
1Physics of Fluids, Faculty of Science and Technology, Impact and Mesa{+} Institutes, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
Physical Review Letters
|November 13, 2007
Summary
Water droplets rapidly wet superhydrophobic surfaces. The wetting front
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Surface science
- Materials science
Background:
- Superhydrophobic surfaces resist wetting due to micro/nanostructure.
- Complete wetting can occur unexpectedly on these surfaces.
- Understanding rapid wetting dynamics is crucial for applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the dynamics of rapid water droplet wetting on microstructured superhydrophobic surfaces.
- To investigate the influence of microstructure scale on wetting front propagation.
- To compare experimental observations with numerical simulations.
Main Methods:
- Ultrahigh-speed imaging was employed to capture the wetting process.
- Microstructured superhydrophobic surfaces with varying scales were used.
- Numerical simulations were performed to model the wetting dynamics.
Main Results:
- Wetting fronts propagate smoothly and circularly on some surfaces.
- On other surfaces, wetting occurs stepwise, forming square-shaped wetted areas.
- A distinct "zipping" phenomenon was observed, where rows fill in microseconds after initial entry.
Conclusions:
- The scale of microstructures dictates wetting front behavior.
- Stepwise wetting and "zipping" are key dynamics in complete wetting of superhydrophobic surfaces.
- Numerical simulations accurately replicate experimental findings, validating the proposed mechanisms.
More Related Videos
07:18Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method
Published on: June 14, 2019
08:02Rendering SiO2/Si Surfaces Omniphobic by Carving Gas-Entrapping Microtextures Comprising Reentrant and Doubly Reentrant Cavities or Pillars
Published on: February 11, 2020
Related Concept Videos
01:07Cohesion
Cohesion is the attraction between molecules of the same type, such as water molecules. Water molecules have an overall neutral charge but are polar molecule. An oxygen atom in one water molecule has a partial negative charge that can bind to a hydrogen atom with a partial positive charge in a second water molecule, forming a hydrogen bond. Each water molecule can form up to four hydrogen bonds with other water molecules. Hydrogen bonds are responsible for water's cohesive nature.
On a surface,...
On a surface,...
02:57Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity
Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...
01:22Surface Tension of Fluid
Surface tension is a fundamental property of fluids, occurring at the boundary between a liquid and a gas or between two immiscible liquids. This phenomenon arises from the cohesive forces between molecules at the fluid's surface, creating an effect similar to a stretched elastic membrane. Inside each fluid, molecules are equally attracted in all directions by neighboring molecules, but surface molecules experience a net inward force, resulting in surface tension.
Surface tension varies with...
Surface tension varies with...
02:05Entropy and Solvation
The process of surrounding a solute with solvent is called solvation. It involves evenly distributing the solute within the solvent. The rule of thumb for determining a solvent for a given compound is that like dissolves like. A good solvent has molecular characteristics similar to those of the compound to be dissolved. For example, polar solutions dissolve polar solutes, and apolar solvents dissolve apolar solutes. A polar solvent is a solvent that has a high dielectric constant (ϵ ≥ 15); an...
03:00Solubility
Solution, Solubility, and Solubility Equilibrium
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules, atoms, and/or ions)...
A solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of a solvent, the major component, and a solute, the minor component. The physical state of a solution—solid, liquid, or gas—is typically the same as that of the solvent. Solute concentrations are often described with qualitative terms such as dilute (of relatively low concentration) and concentrated (of relatively high concentration).
In a solution, the solute particles (molecules, atoms, and/or ions)...
01:15Hydrolysis
Overview
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which the addition of water breaks down a polymer into its simpler monomer units. For example, peptides break into amino acids, carbohydrates into simple sugars, and DNA into nucleotides. Enzymes often facilitate these processes.
Hydrolysis Reverses Dehydration Synthesis
Complex carbohydrates can be broken down by breaking the bonds between individual sugar units. The reaction breaks a glycosidic bond as water is added to the compound. The...
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which the addition of water breaks down a polymer into its simpler monomer units. For example, peptides break into amino acids, carbohydrates into simple sugars, and DNA into nucleotides. Enzymes often facilitate these processes.
Hydrolysis Reverses Dehydration Synthesis
Complex carbohydrates can be broken down by breaking the bonds between individual sugar units. The reaction breaks a glycosidic bond as water is added to the compound. The...