Abstract
The wetting properties of multicomponent liquids are crucial to numerous industrial applications. The mechanisms that determine the contact angles for such liquids remain poorly understood, with many intricacies arising due to complex physical phenomena, for example, due to the presence of surfactants. Here, we consider two-component drops that consist of mixtures of vicinal alkanediols and water. These diols behave surfactant-like in water. However, the contact angles of such mixtures on solid substrates are surprisingly large. We experimentally reveal that the contact angle is determined by two separate mechanisms of completely different nature, namely, Marangoni contraction (hydrodynamic) and autophobing (molecular). The competition between these effects can even inhibit Marangoni contraction, highlighting the importance of molecular structures in physico-chemical hydrodynamics.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
