Regensburg 2010 – scientific programme

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CPP: Fachverband Chemische Physik und Polymerphysik

CPP 17: Interfaces and Thin Films I

CPP 17.6: Talk

Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 11:15–11:30, H39

The Softer the Better: Fast Condensation on Soft Surfaces — Mordechai Sokuler^{1, 2}, •Günter K. Auernhammer¹, Marcel Roth¹, Chuanjun Liu^{1, 2}, Elmar Bonaccurso¹, and Hans-Jürgen Butt¹ — ¹MPI Polymer Research, Mainz, Germany — ²Center of Smart Interfaces, TU Darmstadt, Germany

Condensation on soft elastic surfaces differs significantly from condensation on hard surfaces [1]. On polymeric substrates with varying cross-linking density, we investigate the nucleation and the growth of condensing water drops. Surface roughness and apparent contact angle are shown to be very similar on all surfaces. The surfaces differ in the elastic module and viscosity. With increasing softness of the substrates, we find (1) increasing nucleation density, (2) longer relaxation times for drop shape equilibration after merging of two drops, and (3) prevention of merging on very soft surfaces. These effects lead to higher surface coverage and overall condensed volume on soft surfaces.

[1] M. Sokuler et al. Langmuir (2009), DOI: 10.1021/la903996j