Issue |
Europhys. Lett.
Volume 55, Number 2, July 2001
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 239 - 245 | |
Section | Interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1209/epl/i2001-00405-1 | |
Published online | 01 December 2003 |
Faceted drops on heterogeneous surfaces
Laboratoire PMMH, CNRS UMR 7636, ESPCI
10 rue Vauquelin, 75231, Paris Cedex 05, France
Received:
14
August
2000
Accepted:
3
May
2001
We report an experimental study of the shape of large liquid drops spreading on surfaces with patterns of wettability. A heterogeneous surface exhibits multiple energy minima of free energy for the three-phase system. In particular, when the distribution of defects on the substrate is periodic (square or hexagonal), it is possible to initiate a transition between circular and faceted drops. We describe the surface growth of these liquid drops as a geometric avalanche process released by surface tension.
PACS: 68.45.Gd – Solid-fluid interfaces: Wetting
© EDP Sciences, 2001
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