title: Controlling the velocity of jumping nanodroplets via their initial shape and temperature.
abstract: Controlling the movement of nanoscale objects is a significant goal of nanotechnology. Dewetting-induced ejection of nanodroplets could provide another means of achieving that goal. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to investigate the dewetting-induced ejection of nanoscale liquid copper nanostructures that were deposited on a graphitic substrate. Nanostructures in the shape of a circle, square, equilateral, and isosceles triangle dewet and form nanodroplets that are ejected from the substrate with a velocity that depends on the initial shape and temperature. The dependence of the ejected velocity on shape is ascribed to the temporal asymmetry of the mass coalescence during the droplet formation; the dependence on temperature is ascribed to changes in the density and viscosity. The results suggest that dewetting induced by nanosecond laser pulses could be used to control the velocity of ejected nanodroplets.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, and Computer Sciences and Mathematics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, P.O. Box 2008, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6494, USA. fuentescabma@ornl.gov
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fuentes-Cabrera
authors.forename: Bradley H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: Michael I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Baskes
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terrones
authors.forename: Jason D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fowlkes
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Simpson
authors.forename: Philip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Rack