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      Controlling droplet deposition with polymer additives

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      Nature
      Springer Science and Business Media LLC

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          Abstract

          Controlling the impact of drops onto solid surfaces is important for a wide variey of coating and deposition processes--for example, the treatment of plants with herbicides and pesticides requires precise targeting in order to meet stringent toxicological regulations. However, the outer wax-like layer of the leaves is a non-wetting substrate that causes sprayed droplets to rebound; often less than 50% of the initial spray is retained by the plant. Although the impact and subsequent retraction of non-wetting aqueous drops on a hydrophobic surface have been the subjects of extensive experimental and theoretical work, non-newtonian rheological effects have not been considered in any detail. Here we report that, by adding very small amounts of a flexible polymer to the aqueous phase, we can inhibit droplet rebound on a hydrophobic surface and markedly improve deposition without significantly altering the shear viscosity of the solutions. Our results can be understood by taking into account the non-newtonian elongational viscosity, which provides a large resistance to drop retraction after impact, thereby suppressing droplet rebound.

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          Author and article information

          Journal
          Nature
          Nature
          Springer Science and Business Media LLC
          0028-0836
          1476-4687
          June 2000
          June 2000
          : 405
          : 6788
          : 772-775
          Article
          10.1038/35015525
          10866193
          5642e97b-32f8-48b4-9789-f56843e46509
          © 2000

          http://www.springer.com/tdm

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