Droplet impact dynamics on a flexible superhydrophobic cantilever wire mesh

Abstract

Droplet impact on fixed permeable surfaces has many applications, including spray formation, coating deposition, and filtration processes. The present research studies the droplet and beam dynamics during the water droplet impact on the flexible superhydrophobic cantilever mesh, and the results are compared with the impact on a fixed-fixed superhydrophobic mesh. The effects of beam flexibility (droplet impact point), mesh opening size, and impact velocity on the rebound behavior of droplets, spreading diameter, contact time, beam deflection, and frequency were investigated. Although the contact time is reduced compared to the rigid surface, the well-known pancake rebound is not observed anymore on the cantilever beam. Therefore, the contact time reduction is not as pronounced as the fixed mesh for the cantilever beam. The spreading time and maximum spreading diameter decreased as the impact distance from the fixed point increased due to the reduced transmitted energy to the beam. However, the retraction time is affected by both beam dynamics and liquid penetration. Therefore, the shortest contact time depends not only on the oscillation and frequency of the beam and droplet but also on the liquid penetration. Moreover, the results prove that by defining an appropriate maximum spreading ratio, it becomes independent of the impact point. Finally, the beam deflection and frequency, in addition to the maximum spreading diameter of the droplet are modeled theoretically.