Nonwettable Hierarchical Structure Effect on Droplet Impact and Spreading Dynamics

In this study, the nano/micro hierarchical structure effect of a nonwettable surface on droplet impact was investigated by high-speed visualization. A dual-scale structure of a superhydrophobic surface was designed for manipulating a wide range of capillary pressures (10³-10⁶ Pa), and it was supposed to trigger a hierarchical effect on the droplet dynamics. Distilled water droplets of various sizes and initial velocity were subjected to the prepared samples, and the impact behavior, the spreading diameter, and contacted time, were quantitatively measured. The apparent maximum spreading and contact time of the low Weber number (We#) condition was less dependent on the microscaled design factor of the multiscale-fabricated surface. However, in the high We# condition, the wavy formation shape and the fragmented criteria of the droplet impact were affected by the configuration of the surface morphology. The hierarchical effect from the dual-scale structure on droplet spreading dynamics has been discussed through a balance between capillary pressure induced by the structure and the dynamic pressure of droplet impact.