title: Initial spreading of low-viscosity drops on partially wetting surfaces.
abstract: Liquid drops start spreading directly after coming into contact with a partially wetting substrate. Although this phenomenon involves a three-phase contact line, the spreading motion is very fast. We study the initial spreading dynamics of low-viscosity drops using two complementary methods: molecular dynamics simulations and high-speed imaging. We access previously unexplored length and time scales and provide a detailed picture on how the initial contact between the liquid drop and the solid is established. Both methods unambiguously point toward a spreading regime that is independent of wettability, with the contact radius growing as the square root of time.
authors.affiliation: Physics of Fluids Group, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, AE Enschede, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Koen G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Winkels
authors.forename: Joost H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Weijs
authors.forename: Antonin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eddi
authors.forename: Jacco H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Snoeijer