Drop Behavior on Micro-Structured Superhydrophobic Coating

Abstract

Superhydrophobic coatings can be made by creating a micro-sized structure on a surface providing super-repellent properties which have many applications in aerospace, defense, automotive, biomedical and engineering. Numerical simulation of drop dynamics and motion on a superhydrophobic surface helps us understand control and building surface textures and find optimum micro structured coatings of the maximum hydrophobicity. In the present work, the dynamics of drops on superhydrophobic inclined micro-structured surfaces is studied, using a finite element method. Effects of microstructures on droplet behavior on a superhydrophobic surface is investigated using different microstructures. The governing equations and important dimensionless numbers are described and a numerical algorithm is introduced. The validation of the numerical algorithm is performed by simulation of drop motion attached to an inclined surface. In addition, droplet movement on the micro structured surface is numerically simulated on smooth and microstructure surfaces in the same conditions. Comparison of the results shows the effect of microstructure coating on the surface hydrophobicity properties.