Contact angle hysteresis effect on the thermocapillary migration of liquid droplets

Abstract

Thermocapillary migration describes a phenomenon where a liquid droplet spreads from warm to cold regions due to the interfacial tension gradients. Since the contact angle hysteresis effect is involved during the migration process, we consider the hysteresis effect and rectify the theoretical model to predict the migration velocity on solid surfaces. By conducting migration experiments on surfaces with different magnitudes of the hysteresis effect, we verify the validity of the theoretical derivation. This study advances the understanding of the interfacial phenomenon of thermocapillary migration, moreover, offers an insight into the migration capacity of different materials and guides the design of key components associated with the thermal gradients.