Electrowetting of partially wetting thin nanofluid films.

ABSTRACT

It is observed that the presence of negatively charged, suspended nanoparticles significantly changes the electric-field-induced spreading and contact line dynamics of partially wetting liquid films. Image-analyzing interferometry is used to accurately measure the meniscus profile, including the spatial change in the meniscus curvature. The nanoparticle-containing meniscus exhibits enhanced spreading with an increase in the particle size and weight fraction. The instantaneous contact line velocities are measured using video microscopy and a frame-by-frame analysis of the extracted images. The effects of electric field polarity reversal on the flow toward the contact line are explored as well. The movement of the meniscus is analyzed taking into account the capillary forces and Maxwell-stress-induced flows. An analytical model based on the Young-Laplace equation is used to analyze the electric-field-induced contact line motion, and the model-predicted velocities are compared to the experiments.