Droplet Spreading on Heterogeneous Surfaces using a Three-Dimensional Lattice Boltzmann Model

TL;DR

This paper employs a 3D lattice Boltzmann model to study droplet spreading on various surfaces, revealing growth dynamics and shape anisotropy influenced by surface heterogeneity.

Contribution

It introduces a 3D lattice Boltzmann simulation approach to analyze droplet spreading on heterogeneous surfaces, highlighting anisotropic wetting behavior and shape evolution.

Findings

Droplet base radius grows as t^{0.28} on homogeneous surfaces.

Time evolution curves collapse onto a single dimensionless curve.

Droplet shape reflects underlying surface wetting properties.

Abstract

We use a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann model to investigate the spreading of mesoscale droplets on homogeneous and heterogeneous surfaces. On a homogeneous substrate the base radius of the droplet grows with time as $t^{0.28}$ for a range of viscosities and surface tensions. The time evolutions collapse onto a single curve as a function of a dimensionless time. On a surface comprising of alternate hydrophobic and hydrophilic stripes the wetting velocity is anisotropic and the equilibrium shape of the droplet reflects the wetting properties of the underlying substrate.