Dynamic study of nanodroplet nucleation and growth on self-supported nanothick liquid films

The dynamics of water condensation on self-supported thin films was studied at the nanoscale using transmitted electrons in an environmental scanning electron microscope. The initial stages of nucleation and growth over nanothick water films have been investigated. Irregularities at the water-film boundaries constituted nucleation sites for asymmetric dropwise and filmwise condensation. Nanodroplet growth was associated with center of mass movement, and the dynamic growth power law dependence was explored for the nanoscale.