Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 21, 2025

Orientational Transition in a Liquid Crystal Triggered by the Thermodynamic Growth of Interfacial Wetting Sheets
Published on: May 15, 2017
Topography-Regulated Disorder-to-Order Transition of Condensation Droplets
Jing Sun1, Yongsen Zhou1, Xuan Chen1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hongkong 999077, China.
Abstract:
Condensation of water vapor is a random, transient, and multiscale process prevalent in a variety of natural and industrial processes. Here, we demonstrate that it is possible to transform the disordered distribution of condensate droplets into temporary ordered arrays on chemically homogeneous but physically heterogeneous surfaces, a phenomenon that has not been systematically investigated in a previous study. We show that such a disorder-to-order transition demands an exquisite competition between the length scales of droplets and cavities. In particular, the confinement effect imposed by the patterned cavities should be well controlled to allow the energetically favorable transition.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation
Precipitation Processes
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Types of Coprecipitation
Sometimes, ions in a crystal lattice can undergo isomorphous replacement by inclusions of similar charge and size. For...
Precipitate Formation and Particle Size Control
The obtained precipitate should be either a pure substance of known composition or easily converted to one by a simple process, such as ignition or drying. In addition, the precipitate should be insoluble and easily filterable. In general, filterability...
Boundary Layer Characteristics

