Mechanisms of wetting transitions on patterned surfaces: Continuum and mesoscopic analysis

Kavousanakis, ME; Colosqui, CE; Kevrekidis, IG; Papathanasiou, AG

dc.contributor.author	Kavousanakis, ME	en
dc.contributor.author	Colosqui, CE	en
dc.contributor.author	Kevrekidis, IG	en
dc.contributor.author	Papathanasiou, AG	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T02:11:24Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T02:11:24Z
dc.date.issued	2012	en
dc.identifier.issn	1744683X	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/29895
dc.subject.other	Capillary phenomena	en
dc.subject.other	Computational analysis	en
dc.subject.other	Computational tools	en
dc.subject.other	Equilibrium solutions	en
dc.subject.other	Equilibrium state	en
dc.subject.other	External electric field	en
dc.subject.other	External stimulus	en
dc.subject.other	Material chemistry	en
dc.subject.other	Mesoscopics	en
dc.subject.other	Micrometer scale	en
dc.subject.other	Optimal switching	en
dc.subject.other	Patterned surface	en
dc.subject.other	Relative stabilities	en
dc.subject.other	Solid surface	en
dc.subject.other	Superhydrophobicity	en
dc.subject.other	Systems levels	en
dc.subject.other	Technological applications	en
dc.subject.other	Thermal heating	en
dc.subject.other	Wetting behavior	en
dc.subject.other	Wetting transitions	en
dc.subject.other	Computational methods	en
dc.subject.other	Electric fields	en
dc.subject.other	Energy barriers	en
dc.subject.other	Hysteresis	en
dc.subject.other	Superconducting materials	en
dc.subject.other	Surface roughness	en
dc.subject.other	Surfaces	en
dc.subject.other	Wetting	en
dc.title	Mechanisms of wetting transitions on patterned surfaces: Continuum and mesoscopic analysis	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1039/c2sm25377a	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/c2sm25377a	en
heal.publicationDate	2012	en
heal.abstract	Micro-or nano-structurally roughened solid surfaces exhibit a rich variety of wetting behavior types, ranging from superhydro- or superoleophobicity to superhydro- or superoleophilicity. Depending on their material chemistry, the scale and morphology of their roughness or even the application of external electric fields, their apparent wettability can be significantly modified giving rise to challenging technological applications by exploiting the associated capillary phenomena at the micrometer scale. Certain applications, however, are limited by hysteretic wetting transitions, which inhibit spontaneous switching between wetting states, requiring external stimuli or actuation like thermal heating. The presence of surface roughness, necessary for the manifestation of the superhydrophobicity, induces multiplicity of wetting states and the inevitable hysteresis appears due to considerable energy barriers separating the equilibrium states. Here, by using continuum as well as mesoscopic computational analysis we perform a systems level study of the mechanisms of wetting transitions on model structured solid surfaces. By tracing entire equilibrium solution families and determining their relative stability we are able to illuminate mechanisms of wetting transitions and compute the corresponding energy barriers. The implementation of our analysis to 'real world' structured or unstructured surfaces is straightforward, rendering our computational tools valuable not only for the realization of surfaces with addressable wettability through roughness design, but also for the design of suitable actuation for optimal switching between wetting states. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2012.	en
heal.journalName	Soft Matter	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1039/c2sm25377a	en
dc.identifier.volume	8	en
dc.identifier.issue	30	en
dc.identifier.spage	3928	en
dc.identifier.epage	3936	en