Abstract The spread of perfluoropolyether (PFPE) droplets on solid surfaces has been measured from the top-down view through a microscope system. Effects of substrates, molecular weight and end-group functionality on spreading of the PFPE droplets have been studied experimentally and the results were compared with those by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Silicon wafer and diamond-like carbon (DLC) substrates were used to study the effect of substrates on spreading. Two types of PFPE, Z-dol and Z-tetraol, with the same chain structure and various molecular weights (2000 and 4000 g/mol) were employed in experiments. Effect of molecular weight has been investigated through comparing the spreading of Z-dol 2000 and Z-dol 4000, and it is found that the increase of molecular weight will decrease the mobility of PFPE. Comparison between spreading of Z-dol and Z-tetraol of the same molecular weight proved that functional end group plays a significant role on the spreading of PFPE, which confirmed the MD simulation results.
Received: 16 May 2007
Revised: 24 September 2007
Accepted manuscript online:
(Liquid-solid interface structure: measurements and simulations)
Fund: Project supported by the
Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher
Education of China (Grant No 20060003025) and the State Key
Development Program for Basic Research of China (Grant No
2003CB716201).
Cite this article:
Guo Xiao-Yan(郭晓燕), Li Xin(李欣), Hu Yuan-Zhong(胡元中), and Wang Hui(王慧) The spreading behaviour of perfluoropolyether droplets on solid surfaces 2008 Chin. Phys. B 17 1094
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