Dynamics of the spontaneous breakdown of superhydrophobicity

TL;DR

This paper investigates how superhydrophobic surfaces transition to wetting states, revealing a stepwise 'zipping' mechanism influenced by surface geometry, supported by experimental and numerical analysis of the wetting dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed experimental and numerical study of the wetting breakdown on patterned superhydrophobic surfaces, highlighting the zipping propagation mechanism.

Findings

Wetting front propagates in a stepwise, square-shaped pattern.

The zipping mechanism causes slow, row-by-row wetting.

Multiple time scales characterize the wetting process.

Abstract

Drops deposited on rough and hydrophobic surfaces can stay suspended with gas pockets underneath the liquid, then showing very low hydrodynamic resistance. When this superhydrophobic state breaks down, the subsequent wetting process can show different dynamical properties. A suitable choice of the geometry can make the wetting front propagate in a stepwise manner leading to {\it square-shaped} wetted area: the front propagation is slow and the patterned surface fills by rows through a {\it zipping} mechanism. The multiple time scale scenario of this wetting process is experimentally characterized and compared to numerical simulations.