Low-friction self-centering droplet propulsion and transport using a Leidenfrost herringbone-ratchet structure

Dodd, LE, Agrawal, P, Parnell, MT, Geraldi, NR, Xu, BB, Wells, GG, Stuart-Cole, S, Newton, MI ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4231-1002, McHale, G and Wood, D, 2019. Low-friction self-centering droplet propulsion and transport using a Leidenfrost herringbone-ratchet structure. Physical Review Applied, 11 (3): 034063. ISSN 2331-7019

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Abstract

A fundamental limitation to the ability to transport sessile droplets is frictional forces arising from surface adhesion. This can be overcome by using the Leidenfrost effect on a heated substrate to levitate the droplet on a cushion of vapor. By structuring the surface under the droplet, the flow of vapor below the droplet can be controlled and this can be used to induce preferential droplet propulsion in a particular direction. However, while propulsion can be induced, the dramatic reduction in frictional forces leads to instability and it is difficult to control droplet motion when transporting droplets along a defined path. Here, we present a self-propulsion and self-centering concept using the principles of negative feedback to enable a droplet to be transported along a defined path. In our implementation, we use a combined herringbone and ratchet design, which provides the ability to control droplet position without compromising on speed. This intrinsic self-centering and correction via negative feedback offers the potential to design paths and tracks for droplets to follow, without the need for walls.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Physical Review Applied
Creators:	Dodd, L.E., Agrawal, P., Parnell, M.T., Geraldi, N.R., Xu, B.B., Wells, G.G., Stuart-Cole, S., Newton, M.I., McHale, G. and Wood, D.
Publisher:	American Physical Society
Date:	27 March 2019
Volume:	11
Number:	3
ISSN:	2331-7019
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1103/physrevapplied.11.034063 DOI
Rights:	Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	04 Apr 2019 15:09
Last Modified:	04 Apr 2019 15:09
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/36185

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