Four-petal aqueous imbibition into woven cloth

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Fluid Dynamics
• Textile Engineering

Background:

• Optimizing aerosol-coating processes requires understanding droplet behavior on substrates.
• Estimating substrate coverage by fine droplets is challenging.
• Liquid imbibition into woven textiles is under-explored compared to solid surfaces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally and theoretically investigate the dynamics of aqueous droplet imbibition into woven cloths.
• To develop a predictive model for droplet spreading and coverage on textiles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized magnified visual observation to study droplet imbibition.
• Developed and applied a continuum mathematical model to simulate imbibition fronts.
• Compared model predictions with experimental observations.

Main Results:

• Observed a distinctive four-petal imbibition spreading pattern.
• Identified imbibition occurring in both inter-yarn (megapores) and intra-yarn (minipores) spaces.
• Found that weave intersections inhibit cross-imbibition, leading to anisotropic spreading.
• Demonstrated quantitative agreement between the mathematical model and experimental results.

Conclusions:

• Successfully outlined and simulated the mechanisms of droplet deposition, spreading, and imbibition in woven cloth.
• The developed mathematical model accurately predicts liquid advancement in anisotropic woven materials.
• The model enables quantitative evaluation of droplet spreading and surface coverage, crucial for industrial applications.