Dewetting Transitions on Superhydrophobic Surfaces: When are Wenzel Drops Reversible?

Journal Article · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2012 · Journal of Physical Chemistry C

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp4053083· OSTI ID:1093086

Boreyko, Jonathan B ^[1]; Collier, Pat ^[1]

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1. ORNL

On superhydrophobic surfaces, drops in theWenzel state can be switched to the suspended Cassie state in some cases, but in other cases are irreversibly impaled in the surface roughness. To date, the question of when dewetting transitions are possible for Wenzel drops has not been resolved. Here, we show that pinned Wenzel drops being stretched out-of-plane cannot reduce their contact angle below a critical value where unstable pinch-off occurs, preventing dewetting for Wenzel drops which exhibit receding contact angles beneath this critical pinchoff angle. Dewetting transitions are therefore only possible for Wenzel drops with moderately large receding contact angles, which requires low surface roughness for one-tier surfaces or a Partial Wenzel wetting state for two-tier surfaces.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL); Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences
• Sponsoring Organization: SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1093086
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry C Journal Issue: 35 Vol. 117; ISSN 1932-7447
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English