Dewetting Dynamics of Unstable Lubricant Impregnated Surfaces in Liquid Environment

Abstract: This article outlines a thorough stability analysis by means of both theoretical and experimental modeling for Omni-phobic Lubricant Impregnated Surfaces (LIS). The liquid-repellent properties, particularly with regard to water and oil, have gained substantial attention due to their numerous potential applications. The theoretical section of this study focuses on the validation of mathematical models to understand the underlying principles driving the stability of Omni-phobic LIS. Theoretical insights about the interaction of surface texture, chemical composition, impregnated, and ambient liquid properties contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms that govern stability. A series of experiments were performed to understand better the stability of fabricated Omni-phobic LIS under cyclopentane and water environments, including viscosity and surface texture variations, especially post-spacing variation. The experimental results validate the theoretical predictions and provide valuable statistical information regarding possible model modification. The replaced oil or nucleation sites can be explained through CHNT. The analysis was further validated with experimentally observed nucleation sites. This confirms the accuracy of the nucleation predictions and supports the underlying theoretical model. According to the CLW model, the length of a liquid's penetration into a cylinder/square-shaped capillary is expressed as a square root of time. Our findings contribute to designing a stable LIS and then determining the model followed by an unstable one. The proposed MLW model validated the experimental results. In addition, these experimental data points fit the different capillary imbibition regimes such as inertial, early viscous etc. This contributes to the development of robust and durable solutions for practical applications.