Planar selective Leidenfrost propulsion without physically structured substrates or walls

Dodd, LE, Agrawal, P, Geraldi, NR, Xu, BB, Wells, GG, Martin, J, Newton, MI ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4231-1002, McHale, G and Wood, D, 2020. Planar selective Leidenfrost propulsion without physically structured substrates or walls. Applied Physics Letters, 117 (8): 081601. ISSN 0003-6951

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Abstract

The Leidenfrost effect allows droplets to be transported on a virtually frictionless layer of vapor above a superheated substrate. The substrates are normally topographically structured using subtractive techniques to produce saw-tooth, herringbone, and other patterns and bulk heated, leading to significant challenges in energy consumption and controlled operation. Here, we propose a planar lithographic approach to levitate and propel droplets using temperature profiles, which can be spatially patterned and controlled in time. We show that micro-patterned electrodes can be heated and provide control of the pressure profile and the vapor flow. Using these almost featureless planar substrates, we achieve self-directed motion of droplets, with velocities of approximately 30 mms−1, without topographically structuring the substrate or introducing physical walls. Our approach has the potential to be integrated into applications, such as digital microfluidics, where frictionless and contactless droplet transport may be advantageous.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Applied Physics Letters
Creators:	Dodd, L.E., Agrawal, P., Geraldi, N.R., Xu, B.B., Wells, G.G., Martin, J., Newton, M.I., McHale, G. and Wood, D.
Publisher:	AIP Publishing
Date:	25 August 2020
Volume:	117
Number:	8
ISSN:	0003-6951
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.1063/5.0017699 DOI 1361367 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Science and Technology
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	10 Sep 2020 08:47
Last Modified:	31 May 2021 15:17
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/40658

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