Temperature Controlled Droplet Flow

Shubhankan Mukherjee

Introduction
Researchers at MIT and elsewhere have
developed a new way of driving fluid
droplets across surfaces in a precisely
controlled way.
The system uses differences in
temperature to push droplets of water or
other fluids across a smooth surface,
allowing precise control by simply turning
heaters and coolers on and off.

Process:
The differences in temperature on a
surface, the researchers report, cause a
change in the amount of surface tension
across the droplet. That causes the droplet
to move toward the direction that lowers its
energy - the direction of higher surface
tension.
The treatment consists of texturing a
surface at microscale and then
impregnating it with a layer of oil, which
fills the spaces between the posts and
becomes trapped there by capillary forces.
This trapped lubricant makes the surface
slippery for the droplets.

Process (continued):
Furthermore, the droplets have a
relatively large contact are with the
surface, allowing for a rather large
temperature difference across the
droplet and a higher propulsion force.
In contrast, droplets did not move on
super hydrophobic surfaces inspired
by lotus leaves, as their contact area
is too small for the temperature
gradient to be sufficient to move the
droplet.
The basic effect is called
thermocapillary motion

Temperature controlled droplet

movement

Example:
The underlying physics is similar to that of
"tears" seen in wine glasses, where
differences in surface tension caused by
evaporation of alcohol can cause droplets of
wine to travel upward along the side of the
glass. In this case as well, the
thermocapillary movement is caused by
differences in surface tension across parts
of the droplet.

Applications
Can be used in
highly adaptable
micro fluids.
Can be utilized in
self cleaning
surfaces.
Can be used in
highly efficient
coolers