ABSTRACT

Abstract-Surfaces that exhibit super-repellency combine inherent lyophobicity and tortuous topography. The combination of these traits is a necessary but not sufficient requirement for super repellency, two additional criteria must be met to invoke ultralyophobicity. First, interaction of a liquid with asperities must direct the surface forces at the contact line upward. Second, the asperities must be tall enough that liquid protruding between them does not contact the underlying solid. Based on these criteria, a model has been developed and tested using experimental data available in the literature. The criteria were found to correctly predict suspension of small water drops on model rough surfaces with a variety of asperity sizes and spacings.