Drop impact on super-wettability-contrast annular patterns

Abstract

Extreme wetting properties of solids, either superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic, provide versatile methods to achieve unusual liquid deposit morphologies, such as liquid pearls or polygonal films. Here we report the dynamics of liquid drops that impact on solid surfaces where the extreme wetting properties are coupled in such a way that a superhydrophilic annulus is patterned on a superhydrophobic background. The drop that initially spreads on the inner superhydrophobic region is arrested by the hydrophilic annulus. The liquid deposit gets destabilized because of the strong water repellence of the inner region, exhibiting the burst and disengagement of the liquid film. This process leads to the formation of a liquid ring defined by the annulus pattern, which has practical implications in rapid printing of functional liquids. We visualize such drop dynamics with a high-speed camera and characterize their salient features by combining experimental measurements and theoretical considerations.