DYNAMICS OF SPREADING OF SMALL DROPLETS OF CHAIN-LIKE MOLECULES ON SURFACES

The dynamics of spreading of small droplets on surfaces has been studied by the molecular-dynamics method. Simulations have been performed for mixtures of solvent and dimer, and solvent and tetramer droplets. For solvent particles and dimers, layering occurs leading to stepped droplet shapes. For tetramers such shapes occur for relatively deep and strong surface potentials only. For wider and more shallow potentials, more rapid spreading and rounded droplet shapes occur. These results are in accordance with experimental data on small non-volatile polymer droplets.