Effect of Contact Angle Hysteresis on Evaporation Dynamics of a Sessile Drop on a Heated Surface

Abstract

Contact angle hysteresis (CAH) is a significant factor affecting the drop motion on solid substrates. A model of CAH is introduced to explore the influence of CAH on the dynamics of a sessile drop on a uniformly heated surface, and a two-dimensional evolution equation of the drop thickness is established using the lubrication approximation and Navier slip boundary conditions. A numerical simulation is performed to examine the dynamic behaviors of an evaporating drop, and the drop profile, contact angle, contact line, and moving speed are investigated. Simulated results indicate that the drop evolution process involves drop spreading, pinning, and depinning of the contact line. In the drop spreading stage, when the hysteresis angle increases, the spreading period is shortened, and the spreading radius and spreading speed are reduced; in contrast, the pinning period is raised, and the mass of the drop is apparently reduced with increasing hysteresis angle. In the depinning stage, the CAH declines the contact angle, and a flatter pattern is evolved, thereby improving the heat transfer performance, promoting drop evaporation, and shortening the depinning time. The presence of CAH can speed up the drying of the drop, and the large hysteresis angle leads to faster evaporation. Regulating the CAH is an effective way to manipulate the motion of the contact line for an evaporating drop.

Keywords

• drop
• contact angle hysteresis
• evaporation
• contact line pinning
• lubrication theory