No-contact electrostatic manipulation of droplets on liquid-infused surfaces: Experiments and numerical simulations

Abstract

We propose a simple method of electrostatic manipulation of aqueous droplets sitting on a liquid-infused surface. The electric field is created between a pin electrode not touching the droplets and the grounded substrate. Experiments and numerical simulations are performed to study the sliding of droplets along the surface. Sliding velocities in excess of 1 cm/s can be achieved. The scaling of the sliding velocity with the applied voltage difference and the droplet volume is studied. Good agreement between the experimental and the simulation data indicates that the simulation model captures the essential physics.