Abstract
A fluid droplet may exhibit self-propelled motion by modifying the wetting properties of the substrate. We propose a model for droplet propagation upon a terraced landscape of ordered layers formed as a result of surface freezing driven by the contact angle dependence on the terrace thickness. Simultaneous melting or freezing of the terrace edge results in a joint droplet-terrace motion. The model is tested numerically and compared to experimental observations on long-chain alkane systems in the vicinity of the surface melting point.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 025301 |
| Journal | Physical Review E |
| Volume | 72 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1 Aug 2005 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
- Statistics and Probability
- Condensed Matter Physics