Julia Yeomans OBE FRS

Abstract:

In this work we present a study of the characteristics of UV cure ink droplets on different media (model homogeneous and heterogeneous surfaces, PET, treated PET, etc.). By varying the magnitude of chemical heterogeneities on model surfaces, we are able to highlight the parameters that affect droplet shape. Using Lattice Boltzmann simulations of droplet spreading, we show that the location of the impact point of a droplet on patterned substrate with micron size chemical heterogeneity is an important criterion to consider with respect to the equilibrium shape of a droplet. This allows a complete understanding of the effect of chemical heterogeneity on droplet shape, and therefore on printing quality. We also report an experimental study of the internal morphology of ink droplets adsorbed on chemically defined substrates. This morphology appears to be related with the surface properties of the media considered.

Abstract:

Simulations show that, when a phase-separated binary [Formula presented] fluid is driven to flow past chemically patterned substrates in a microchannel, the fluid exhibits unique morphological instabilities. For the pattern studied, these instabilities give rise to the simultaneous, periodic formation of monodisperse droplets of [Formula presented] in [Formula presented] and [Formula presented] in [Formula presented]. The system bifurcates between time-independent behavior and different types of regular, nondecaying oscillations in the structural characteristics. The surprisingly complex behavior is observed even in the absence of hydrodynamic interactions and arises from the interplay between the fluid flow and patterned substrate, which introduces nonlinearity into the dynamical system. © 2003 The American Physical Society.