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Related Experiment Video

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Adhesive Forces in Droplet Kinetic Friction on Liquidlike Surfaces.

Glen McHale1, Sara Janahi1, Hernán Barrio-Zhang1

  • 1The University of Edinburgh, Institute for Multiscale Thermofluids, School of Engineering, Edinburgh, EH9 3FB, United Kingdom.

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Summary

Droplet friction is linked to surface wettability and adhesion. This study reveals kinetic friction arises from contact angle hysteresis and adhesive forces, offering a new understanding of droplet motion on surfaces.

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Area of Science:

  • Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Surface Science

Background:

  • Kinetic frictional forces resisting droplet motion are often considered independent of surface wettability and adhesive forces.
  • A deeper understanding of the interplay between friction, wettability, and adhesion in droplet dynamics is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate that droplet kinetic friction is a direct consequence of contact angle hysteresis and adhesive forces.
  • To theoretically and experimentally investigate the factors influencing the coefficient of droplet-on-solid kinetic friction.
  • To explore the applicability of a molecular kinetic model to droplet friction.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of droplet friction based on contact angle hysteresis and adhesion.
  • Experimental validation using tilt angle measurements of droplets on liquidlike surfaces.
  • Analysis of the velocity-force relationship using a molecular kinetic-type model.

Main Results:

  • Kinetic friction in droplet motion is shown to be a combination of contact angle hysteresis and adhesive force.
  • The coefficient of droplet-on-solid kinetic friction demonstrates dependence on various system parameters.
  • A molecular kinetic model successfully describes the nonlinear relationship between droplet velocity and applied force.

Conclusions:

  • Droplet kinetic friction is fundamentally linked to surface wettability and liquid adhesion.
  • Contact angle hysteresis is a key parameter determining droplet friction.
  • The findings provide a unified framework for understanding droplet friction and its relationship with surface properties.