Transition from Heterogeneous to Homogeneous Regime in Disordered Superhydrophobic Surfaces

Abstract

In Superhydrophobic systems, a spontaneous transition from heterogeneous to homogeneous regime can occur in time. This transition can hinder the sliding motion of a water drop deposited on the surface, then hampering many applications of such coatings. In this paper, we present a detailed study of this phenomenon on a new kind of Superhydrophobic surfaces, characterized by a strong spatial disorder. We demonstrate that disorder can help to prevent the transition, which assumes a peculiar behavior. [DOI: 10.1380/ejssnt.2010.275]