Dynamics and universal scaling law in geometrically-controlled sessile drop evaporation

• Published in: Nature communications Vol. 8; no. 1; p. 14783
• Main Authors: Sáenz, P. J., Wray, A. W., Che, Z., Matar, O. K., Valluri, P., Kim, J., Sefiane, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 15.03.2017; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 639/705/1041; 639/766/189; Contact angle; Geometry; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Simulation; United Kingdom > UK; United States > US; Massachusetts
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14783

The evaporation of a liquid drop on a solid substrate is a remarkably common phenomenon. Yet, the complexity of the underlying mechanisms has constrained previous studies to spherically symmetric configurations. Here we investigate well-defined, non-spherical evaporating drops of pure liquids and binary mixtures. We deduce a universal scaling law for the evaporation rate valid for any shape and demonstrate that more curved regions lead to preferential localized depositions in particle-laden drops. Furthermore, geometry induces well-defined flow structures within the drop that change according to the driving mechanism. In the case of binary mixtures, geometry dictates the spatial segregation of the more volatile component as it is depleted. Our results suggest that the drop geometry can be exploited to prescribe the particle deposition and evaporative dynamics of pure drops and the mixing characteristics of multicomponent drops, which may be of interest to a wide range of industrial and scientific applications. Drop evaporation can be used as a fabrication technology for targeted particle deposition or microflow control, yet previous research is limited to spherical drops. Here, Sáenz et al . generalize the evaporation dynamics for arbitrary drop geometry and show its potential for more sophisticated control.