Nucleation and growth on a superhydrophobic grooved surface.
The growth dynamics of water drops condensed on a superhydrophobic geometrically patterned surface were studied. Drop size evolution at early and intermediate times is self-similar. Drop growth laws do not differ for a flat surface because of a reduction of both drop and substrate dimensionality. A striking observation is the instantaneous drying of the top surface of grooves at a point in time due to coalescence of the drops with a completely filled channel. At late times, only a few large drops grow connected to the channels, in a mixed Wenzel-penetration regime.
Equipe CEA-CNRS du Supercritique pour l'Environnement, les Matériaux et l'Espace, Service des Basses Températures, CEA-Grenoble, Grenoble, France.
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Narhe
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Beysens