M. Reyssat et al 2008 EPL 81 26006 doi:10.1209/0295-5075/81/26006
M. Reyssat1, J. M. Yeomans2 and D. Quéré1
Show affiliationsWater drops deposited on hydrophobic materials decorated with dilute micro-posts generally form pearls. Owing to the hydrophobicity of the material, the drop sits on the top of the posts. However, this "fakir state" is often metastable: if the drop impales inside the texture, its surface energy is lowered. Here we discuss the transition between these two states, considering the drop size as a parameter for inducing this transition: remarkably, it is found that a drop impales when it becomes small, which is interpreted by considering its curvature. This interpretation allows us to propose different recipes for avoiding this detrimental effect.
Issue 2 (January 2008)
Received 7 September 2007, accepted for publication 19 November 2007
Published 20 December 2007
M. Reyssat et al 2008 EPL 81 26006
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