Droplet impact on rigid, superhydrophobic surfaces follows the well-known spreading, recoil, and lift-off behavior at lower impact speeds (a), and splashing at higher impact speeds (b). The contact time tc of these bouncing droplets is independent of the impact speed, and difficult to control. Using high speed imaging (9500 fps) of water droplets impacting superhydrophobic substrates with stiffness 0.5 to 7630 N/m (rigid), we were able to show that substrate flexibility can reduce contact times. Upon impact on a flexible substrate, the droplet excites the substrate to oscillate at the membrane or cantilever natural frequency (d). The oscillation accelerates the droplet upwards, initiating early droplet lift-off at the edges of the droplet close to the point of maximum spreading (c). Droplets fully lift off before fully recoiling, i.e. in a pancake shape. We call this phenomenon the springboard effect. Contact times are reduced by up to 50% compared to rigid substrates.
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Springboard Droplet Bouncing on Flexible Superhydrophobic Substrates
Patricia B. Weisensee,
Patricia B. Weisensee
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
weisens2@illinois.edu
weisens2@illinois.edu
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Junjiao Tian,
Junjiao Tian
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
jtian13@illinois.edu
jtian13@illinois.edu
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Nenad Miljkovic,
Nenad Miljkovic
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
nmiljkov@illinois.edu
nmiljkov@illinois.edu
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William P. King
William P. King
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
wpk@illinois.edu
wpk@illinois.edu
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Patricia B. Weisensee
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
weisens2@illinois.edu
weisens2@illinois.edu
Junjiao Tian
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
jtian13@illinois.edu
jtian13@illinois.edu
Nenad Miljkovic
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
nmiljkov@illinois.edu
nmiljkov@illinois.edu
William P. King
Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
wpk@illinois.edu
wpk@illinois.edu
1Corresponding author.
J. Heat Transfer. Feb 2017, 139(2): 020902
Published Online: January 6, 2017
Article history
Received:
November 2, 2016
Revised:
November 19, 2016
Citation
Weisensee, P. B., Tian, J., Miljkovic, N., and King, W. P. (January 6, 2017). "Springboard Droplet Bouncing on Flexible Superhydrophobic Substrates." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. February 2017; 139(2): 020902. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4035572
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