Droplet shedding on hydrophilic and superhydrophobic surfaces under the effect of air shear flow

This study aims to investigate and compare the behavior of droplets of different volumes on hydrophilic and superhydrophobic surfaces (SHSs) under the effect of air shear flow. The results reveal that the effect of droplet volume on wetting length in the case of a hydrophilic surface is different from that in the case of SHS. On hydrophilic surfaces, droplets with larger volumes exhibit greater wetting length and adhesion, whereas on SHSs, these parameters are similar regardless of droplet volume. Additionally, airflow velocity is one of the critical factors for shear-driven droplet behavior on SHS. At an airspeed of 5 m/s, droplets slide on the SHS; however, they roll on the surface at an airspeed of 15 m/s.