Communication

Rebounding Droplet-Droplet Collisions on Superhydrophobic Surfaces: from the Phenomenon to Droplet Logic

  1. Henrikki Mertaniemi1,
  2. Robert Forchheimer2,
  3. Olli Ikkala1,
  4. Robin H. A. Ras1,*

Article first published online: 4 SEP 2012

DOI: 10.1002/adma.201202980

Issue

Advanced Materials

Advanced Materials

Volume 24, Issue 42, pages 5738–5743, November 8, 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Mertaniemi, H., Forchheimer, R., Ikkala, O. and Ras, R. H. A. (2012), Rebounding Droplet-Droplet Collisions on Superhydrophobic Surfaces: from the Phenomenon to Droplet Logic. Adv. Mater., 24: 5738–5743. doi: 10.1002/adma.201202980

Author Information

  1. 1

    Molecular Materials, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University (formerly Helsinki University of Technology), FIN-00076 Espoo, Finland

  2. 2

    Information Coding, Department of Electrical Engineering, Linköping University, SE 581 83 Linköping, Sweden

*Molecular Materials, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University (formerly Helsinki University of Technology), FIN-00076 Espoo, Finland.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 2 NOV 2012
  2. Article first published online: 4 SEP 2012
  3. Manuscript Received: 24 JUL 2012

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Keywords:

  • water droplets;
  • non-wetting;
  • rebounding collisions;
  • logic operations;
  • fluidics
Thumbnail image of graphical abstract

When water droplets impact each other while traveling on a superhydrophobic surface, we demonstrate that they are able to rebound like billiard balls. We present elementary Boolean logic operations and a flip-flop memory based on these rebounding water droplet collisions. Furthermore, bouncing or coalescence can be easily controlled by process parameters. Thus by the controlled coalescence of reactive droplets, here using the quenching of fluorescent metal nanoclusters as a model reaction, we also demonstrate an elementary operation for programmable chemistry.

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