Dynamic Wettability on the Lubricant-Impregnated Surface: From Nucleation to Growth and Coalescence

The surface dynamic wettability during droplet nucleation and growth involved with phase change is different from the static wettability formed from a sessile drop. Revealing this dynamic wettability of the lubricant-impregnated surfaces (LISs) and identification of the consistency between the wettability during condensation and the static wettability are of significant importance. In this study, we investigated condensation of water droplets on LISs using molecular dynamics simulations. All possible morphologies on LISs were investigated considering the effects of interfacial tension and lubricant thickness. The exploration of droplet behaviors from nucleation to growth and coalescence revealed four nucleation mechanisms and six growth modes. The lubricant was observed to be beneficial for the formation of droplets and maintaining dropwise condensation mode. The present investigation also established that the consistency between the wettability during condensation and the static wettability was determined by the solid-water-oil interface and the lubricant thickness. A map was proposed which helps in deciding whether the wettability during condensation is the same as the static wettability on LIS.