Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

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...

Contact Angle

Contact Angle

When a solid is dipped inside a liquid, the liquid surface becomes curved near the contact. For some solid–liquid interfaces, the liquid is pulled up along the solid, while for others, the liquid surface is convex or depressed near the solid surface. This phenomenon can be explained using the concept of cohesive and adhesive forces.
The adhesive force is the molecular force between molecules of different materials, that is, between the molecules of the solid and the liquid. The cohesive...

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

Surface Tension, Capillary Action, and Viscosity

Surface Tension
The various IMFs between identical molecules of a substance are examples of cohesive forces. The molecules within a liquid are surrounded by other molecules and are attracted equally in all directions by the cohesive forces within the liquid. However, the molecules on the surface of a liquid are attracted only by about one-half as many molecules. Because of the unbalanced molecular attractions on the surface molecules, liquids contract to form a shape that minimizes the number...

Electrodeposition

Electrodeposition

Electrodeposition is a technique used to separate an analyte from interferents by electrochemical processes. Here, the analyte is a metal ion that can be deposited on an electrode immersed in the sample solution. The electrochemical setup consists of an anode and a cathode. When an electric current is applied to the setup, oxidation occurs at the anode. At the cathode, which consists of a large metal surface, metal ions undergo reduction and deposit onto the surface.
Electrodeposition can...

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

Surface Tension and Surface Energy

When a paint brush is immersed in water, the bristles wave freely inside the water. When it is taken out, the bristles stick together. The reason behind this effect is surface tension.
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...

Van der Waals Interactions

Van der Waals Interactions

Atoms and molecules interact with each other through intermolecular forces. These electrostatic forces arise from attractive or repulsive interactions between particles with permanent, partial, or temporary charges. The intermolecular forces between neutral atoms and molecules are ion–dipole, dipole–dipole, and dispersion forces, collectively known as van der Waals forces.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Computational design of artificial supply networks for engineered human tissue.

Scientific reports·2026

Same author

How Spontaneous Electrowetting and Surface Charge Affect Drop Motion.

Physical review letters·2026

Same author

Spontaneous Coulomb fissions of drops on lubricated surfaces.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Fabrication of Janus Supraparticles by Induced Phase Separation by Gravity.

ACS nano·2026

Same author

Wetting of granular and porous materials.

Advances in colloid and interface science·2026

Same author

Transparent and airtight silica nano- and microchannels with uniform tubular cross-section.

Soft matter·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 8, 2025

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

Surface Charge Deposition by Moving Drops Reduces Contact Angles.

Xiaomei Li¹, Aaron D Ratschow², Steffen Hardt²

¹Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany.

Physical Review Letters

|December 15, 2023

Summary

Slide electrification, where sliding water drops separate charges, significantly alters drop behavior. This study reveals that electrification reduces dynamic contact angles due to electrocapillary effects and surface energy changes.

More Related Videos

Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method

Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method

Published on: June 14, 2019

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions

Published on: April 5, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 8, 2025

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

Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method

Measuring the Interaction Force Between a Droplet and a Super-hydrophobic Substrate by the Optical Lever Method

Published on: June 14, 2019

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions

Glass-Based Devices to Generate Drops and Emulsions

Published on: April 5, 2022

Area of Science:

Physical Chemistry
Surface Science
Electrostatics

Background:

Slide electrification is a phenomenon where sliding aqueous drops spontaneously separate charges.
This charge separation can generate electrostatic potentials up to 1 kV.
Such potentials can significantly influence the motion and behavior of drops.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the impact of slide electrification on the dynamic contact angles of sliding aqueous drops.
To understand the mechanisms behind changes in contact angles under different charging conditions.

Main Methods:

Analysis of dynamic contact angles of aqueous drops sliding down tilted plates.
Experiments conducted on insulated surfaces, grounded surfaces, and with the drop itself being grounded.
Investigation across various salt concentrations.

Main Results:

A decrease in dynamic contact angles was observed with increasing salt concentrations.
This reduction is attributed to electrocapillary effects from drop charging.
Changes in the free surface energy of the solid due to surface charging also contribute.

Conclusions:

Slide electrification significantly affects the dynamic contact angles of sliding aqueous drops.
Both electrocapillary reduction and surface energy changes play a role in modifying contact angles.
Understanding these effects is crucial for controlling drop behavior in various applications.