Critical size ratio for coalescence-induced droplet jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces

Abstract

The mechanism of coalescence-induced droplet jumping on superhydrophobic surfaces has been relatively well-established over the years. Most of the related studies are only considering the coalescence process of equal-sized water droplets. However, the coalescence of droplets with different sizes is actually more frequently encountered and the effect of the size ratio on droplet jumping is very crucial to the hydrodynamics of this process. In this work, the effect of the initial droplet size ratio on coalescence-induced jumping of two water droplets is investigated experimentally and numerically. For the previously reported jumping droplet sizes (∼1–100 μm), it is found that the critical droplet size ratio below which the jumping does not occur is about 0.56. The results agree well with the experimental data as the size ratios of observed jumping events collapse into the predicted jumping regime. These findings will gain insights into droplet jumping which has great potential in a number of industrial processes.