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Controlling the breakup of toroidal liquid films on solid surfaces
Andrew M J Edwards1, Élfego Ruiz-Gutiérrez2,3, Michael I Newton1
1SOFT Group, School of Science and Technology, Nottingham Trent University, Clifton Lane, Nottingham, NG11 8NS, UK.
Scientific Reports
|April 15, 2021
Summary
Controlling liquid filament wetting on surfaces allows repeatable switching between toroidal films and droplet patterns. Dielectrophoresis forces enable precise control over liquid behavior for applications in printing and microfluidics.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Surface Science
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Surface tension drives liquid filament breakup, a key problem for droplet generation.
- Wetting conditions on solid surfaces complicate fluid dynamics, making instability pathways hard to predict.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate repeatable control over liquid filament breakup using surface wetting.
- To investigate the role of dielectrophoresis in mode selection for liquid instabilities.
Main Methods:
- Controlled static and dynamic wetting of surfaces.
- Application of dielectrophoresis forces to liquid- লiquid interfaces.
- Analysis of liquid filament instability pathways and final states.
Main Results:
- Achieved repeatable switching between toroidal liquid films and defined droplet patterns.
- Demonstrated dielectrophoresis-induced mode selection by altering contact line mobility and wetting.
- Identified distinct instability pathways controlled by electrical polarization.
Conclusions:
- Surface wetting and dielectrophoresis offer precise control over liquid filament stability.
- Insights into wetting and stability of shaped liquid filaments are relevant for printing and microfluidic devices.
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