Vapour-mediated sensing and motility in two-component droplets

• Published in: Nature (London) Vol. 519; no. 7544; pp. 446 - 450
• Main Authors: Cira, N. J., Benusiglio, A., Prakash, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 26.03.2015; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 101/62; 119/118; 13/56; 631/57/343/1361; 639/301/1005/190; 639/301/923/1030; 639/766/189; Analysis; Contact angle; Evaporation; Fluid mechanics; Food colorings; Humanities and Social Sciences; letter; Liquids; Materials science; Mechanics; Microfluidics; Motility; multidisciplinary; Physics; Properties; Science; Surface energy; Surface tension; Thin films; United States

Droplets of mixed water and propylene glycol deposited on clean glass exhibit a contact angle but do not suffer from contact line pinning; their motion can be controlled by the vapour emitted from neighbouring droplets to create a variety of autonomous fluidic machines with integrated sensing and mo...