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Capillary spreading of a droplet in the partially wetting regime using a diffuse-interface model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2007

V. V. KHATAVKAR
Affiliation:
Materials Technology, Dutch Polymer Institute, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
P. D. ANDERSON*
Affiliation:
Materials Technology, Dutch Polymer Institute, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
H. E. H. MEIJER
Affiliation:
Materials Technology, Dutch Polymer Institute, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
*
†Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: p.d.anderson@tue.nl
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Abstract

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The spreading of a liquid droplet on a smooth solid surface in the partially wetting regime is studied using a diffuse-interface model based on the Cahn--Hilliard theory. The model is extended to include non-90$^{\circ}$ contact angles. The diffuse-interface model considers the ambient fluid displaced by the droplet while spreading as a liquid. The governing equations of the model for the axisymmetric case are solved numerically using a finite-spectral-element method. The viscosity of the ambient fluid is found to affect the time scale of spreading, but the general spreading behaviour remains unchanged. The wettability expressed in terms of the equilibrium contact angle is seen to influence the spreading kinetics from the early stages of spreading. The results show agreement with the experimental data reported in the literature.

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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007