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Heterogeneous Catalysis

Heterogeneous Catalysis

Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...

Catalysis

Catalysis

The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.

Catalysis

Catalysis

Catalysis influences the rate of chemical reactions by providing an alternative reaction pathway with lower activation energy. A catalyst speeds up a reaction, but it is not consumed during the process. The fundamental principle of catalysis is the ability of a catalyst to alter the reaction mechanism, often introducing a more efficient pathway than the uncatalyzed process.In a catalyzed reaction, the catalyst participates directly in the reaction mechanism. It interacts with reactants to form...

The Colloidal State

The Colloidal State

The formation of a colloidal system is exemplified by an aqueous solution containing Cl− ions is introduced to another containing Ag+ ions, resulting in the precipitation of solid AgCl as extremely tiny crystals. Instead of settling out as a filterable precipitate, these crystals remain suspended in the liquid, showcasing a colloidal system.A colloidal system involves colloidal particles within the approximate range of 1 to 1000 nm in at least one dimension, dispersed in a medium called the...

Colloidal precipitates

Colloidal precipitates

The high insolubility of some precipitates can result in an unfavorable relative supersaturation. This can lead to colloidal particles with a large surface-to-mass ratio, where adsorption is promoted. For instance, in the precipitation of silver chloride, silver ions are adsorbed on the surface of the colloidal particles, forming a primary layer. This layer attracts ions of opposite charge (such as nitrate ions), forming a diffuse secondary layer of adsorbed ions. This electric double layer...

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In certain chromatographic separations, solutes transfer between the mobile phase and the stationary phase via sorption, which typically refers to the process of adsorption. For many chromatographic systems, the sorption process often depends on the polarity of the compounds—an expression of the overall dipole moment within the molecule. During the separation process, there is competition between the solute and solvent for adsorption to the stationary phase. Highly polar compounds and solvents...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Taking Advantage of Reduced Droplet-surface Interaction to Optimize Transport of Bioanalytes in Digital Microfluidics

Taking Advantage of Reduced Droplet-surface Interaction to Optimize Transport of Bioanalytes in Digital Microfluidics

Published on: November 10, 2014

Droplet spreading on chemically heterogeneous substrates.

Rajagopal Vellingiri¹, Nikos Savva, Serafim Kalliadasis

¹Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom.

Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics

|November 9, 2011

Summary

Droplet spreading on varied surfaces shows complex behaviors like pinning and stick-slip motion due to chemical heterogeneity. This study models these dynamics using fluid mechanics and contact line analysis.

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Area of Science:

Fluid dynamics
Surface science
Chemical engineering

Background:

Understanding droplet behavior on surfaces is crucial for applications like microfluidics and coatings.
Chemically heterogeneous substrates introduce complexities not seen on uniform surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

To model and analyze the spreading dynamics of a two-dimensional droplet on chemically heterogeneous substrates.
To investigate novel phenomena arising from substrate chemical variations.

Main Methods:

Long-wave expansion of Stokes equations for droplet evolution.
Incorporation of slip at the liquid-solid interface to resolve contact line singularities.
Asymptotic matching of bulk and contact line flows to derive ODEs for droplet fronts.
Phase-plane analysis for examining droplet dynamics.

Main Results:

A single evolution equation for droplet thickness was derived.
Coupled ODEs for droplet front locations were obtained and validated.
Observed phenomena include multiple equilibria and pinning at chemical features.
Stick-slip behavior of droplet fronts was identified.

Conclusions:

Chemical heterogeneity significantly alters droplet spreading dynamics.
The developed model captures complex behaviors like pinning and stick-slip motion.
This work provides insights into fluid behavior on non-uniform surfaces.