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Droplet jumping stimulated by variation of surface energy: A review from mechanism to application
Zijin Zhang1, Jin Wang1, Yongqing He2
1School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Hebei University of Technology, Tianjin 300401, China.
Abstract:
Droplet deformation alters its surface areas between various phases, leading to changes in its surface energy. When droplet surface area decreases, excess surface energy is released and converted into kinetic energy, enabling droplet jumping. The characteristic velocity of droplet jumping induced by variations in surface energy is typically above 0.1 m/s, and the jumping phenomenon occurs spontaneously without external energy input. The sufficient jumping velocity and spontaneous characteristics make the droplet jumping phenomenon highly promising for widespread applications such as phase change heat transfer, surface anti-icing, anti-frosting, and self-cleaning. This review categorizes droplet jumping into single-droplet and multiple-droplet behaviors, detailing their dynamic characteristics and influencing factors. Both active and passive enhancement strategies are discussed in this study. We summarize practical applications and propose future research directions, offering a comprehensive framework for advancing the understanding and utilization of droplet jumping.
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