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The Invariance of Electrowetting Contact Angle Saturation to Polymer, Fluid, and Interfacial Materials Properties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 June 2011

Stéphanie Chevalliot
Affiliation:
Novel Devices Laboratory, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221.
Jason Heikenfeld
Affiliation:
Novel Devices Laboratory, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221.
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Abstract

The electrowetting equation predicts contact angle modulation to zero degrees as voltage is continually increased. However, in practice contact angle appears to saturate around 60 to 70°. Although several hypotheses have been advanced to explain the physical mechanisms of contact angle saturation, none satisfactorily and unequivocally holds for the large body of electrowetting data. Herein we experimentally demonstrate that under DC voltage electrowetting contact angle saturation is invariant to polymer, fluid, and interfacial materials properties. We furthermore reveal that saturation is also a time-dependant phenomenon.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

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References

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