Fundamental studies on micro-droplet movement by Marangoni and capillary effects

This work is a fundamental study on the movement of various sized micro-liter droplets on a surface subjected to temperature gradients. The histories of droplet movement are recorded by high-speed CCD camera and are simulated by numerical methods based on first principle equations. The agreement between computations and experimental observations are obtained. The study indicates that temperature gradients, the change of dynamic receding/advancing contact angles across the droplets, and the flowfields inside the droplet are the key parameters determining the moving behavior of the micro-droplet driven by Marangoni and capillary effects. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.