Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: On smooth surfaces, condensing droplets grow, merge, and eventually slide away. Add narrow grooves, and the same water follows a hidden path: it drains through the surface itself. Using a high-throughput condensation setup, we show that groove spacing governs the transition between droplet shedding and capillary drainage. Below a critical spacing, grooves collect and channel all water before large drops can form, offering new routes for efficient dew harvesting and cooling.
Source: Physical Review Fluids
DOI: 10.1103/zpxp-yxnk
Authors: M. Leonard, N. Vandewalle
Institution: University of Liège
Language: English
Subfield: Surfaces, Coatings and Films
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4416735609