Spreading modes on copper and steel surfaces

This work presents the experimental results of the studying the effect of surface roughness, microstructure and liquid flow rate on the dynamic contact angle during spreading of distilled nondeaerated water drop on a solid horizontal substrate. Copper and steel substrates with different roughness have been investigated. Three spreading modes were conventionally indicated. It was found that the spreading of drops on substrates made of different materials occurs in similar modes. However, the duration of each mode for substrates made of copper and steel are different. Spreading of a liquid above the asperities of a surface micro relief was observed to be dominant for large volumetric flow rates of drops (0.01 ml/s). Liquid was spreading inside the grooves of a rough substrate at low rates (0.005 ml/s).