How surface charges affect interdroplet freezing.

ABSTRACT: The freezing of droplets on surfaces is closely relevant with various industrial processes such as aviation, navigation, and transportation. Previous studies mainly focus on physiochemically heterogeneous but electrically homogeneous surfaces, on which the presence of vapor pressure gradient between droplets is the predominant mechanism for interdroplet freezing bridging, propagation, and eventual frosting across the entire surface. An interesting yet unanswered question is whether electrostatic charge on surfaces affects freezing dynamics. Here, we find an interdroplet freezing relay (IFR) phenomenon on electrically heterogeneous surfaces that exhibits a three-dimensional, in-air freezing propagation pathway and an accelerated freezing rate. Theoretical and experimental investigations dem

SUBMITTER: Yang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12207431 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature