Non-retraction rebound of the impacting nano-droplets

Abstract

This study reports a distinct non-retraction rebound regime of impacting nano-droplets that is characterized by incomplete-spreading and non-retraction, different from the traditional rebound regime that exhibits complete spreading and retraction stages, which has been proved to produce much smaller contact time. We think it is caused by the synergistic effect of all atoms induced by unusual impact conditions rather than the transition between surface deformation energy and kinetic energy as believed previously. Most importantly, an impacting behavior map based on hundreds of simulation results has been plotted to reveal how to generate the non-retraction rebound. Further exploration illustrates that the map could be changed by regulating the atomic interaction, which denotes a feasible method to achieve fast rebound dynamics. The studies provide an opportunity to understand the new rebound behavior of nano-droplets at a molecular-level, which paves the way for a wide range of practical applications, especially for the area of self-cleaning nanomaterials.