Partial wetting of chemically patterned surfaces: The effect of drop size

Partial wetting of chemically heterogeneous substrates is simulated. Three-dimensional sessile drops in equilibrium with smooth surfaces supporting ordered chemical patterns are considered. Significant features are observed as a result of changing the drop volume. The number of equilibrated drops is found either to remain constant or to increase with growing drop volume. The shape of larger drops appears to approach that of a spherical cap and their three-phase contact line seems, on a larger scale, more circular in shape than that of smaller drops. In addition, as the volume is increased, the average contact angle of drops whose free energy is lowest among all equilibrium-shaped drops of the same volume appears to approach the angle predicted by Cassie. Finally, contrary to results obtained with two-dimensional drops, contact angle hysteresis observed in this system is shown to exhibit a degree of volume dependence in the advancing and receding angles. Qualitative differences in the wetting behavior associated with the two different chemical patterns considered here, as well as differences between results obtained with two-dimensional and three-dimensional drops, can possibly be attributed to variations in the level of constraint imposed on the drop by the different patterns and by the dimensionality of the system. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.