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Published on: August 15, 2018
Water drops dancing on ice: how sublimation leads to drop rebound.
C Antonini1, I Bernagozzi, S Jung
1Department of Engineering, University of Bergamo, Viale Marconi 5, 24044 Dalmine (BG), Italy.
Physical Review Letters
|July 19, 2013
Summary
Drop rebound, a phenomenon typically seen on hydrophobic surfaces or via the Leidenfrost effect, can also be triggered by solid substrate sublimation. This study reveals sublimation as a novel cause for drop rebound across a wide temperature range.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Fluid Dynamics
- Surface Science
Background:
- Drop rebound is a well-known phenomenon observed on hydrophobic surfaces and induced by the Leidenfrost effect.
- The underlying physical mechanisms driving drop rebound have been extensively studied, but remain incompletely understood across all conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel physical phenomena that can induce drop rebound.
- To compare drop rebound mechanisms including superhydrophobicity, evaporation, and sublimation.
- To explore the formation and visualization of air vortex rings during drop impact.
Main Methods:
- Drop impact experiments were conducted on superhydrophobic surfaces, a hot plate, and solid carbon dioxide (dry ice).
- Comparative analysis of drop rebound across different temperature regimes and substrate types.
- High-speed visualization techniques were employed to capture drop dynamics and air vortex ring formation.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated that solid substrate sublimation is a previously unrecognized cause of drop rebound.
- Observed consistent drop rebound across three distinct mechanisms (superhydrophobicity, evaporation, sublimation) over a broad temperature range (300°C to -79°C).
- Successfully visualized the formation of an air vortex ring around an impacting drop.
Conclusions:
- Solid substrate sublimation provides a new physical mechanism for drop rebound, expanding the known triggers for this phenomenon.
- Drop rebound is a versatile event achievable through diverse physical processes, highlighting the robustness of fluid-surface interactions.
- The visualization of air vortex rings offers new insights into the complex dynamics of drop impact and rebound.
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