When a droplet of water is placed on a surface, it can exhibit distinct behaviors: it may spread across the surface, resembling a thin film, or it may take the form of a bead, sitting as a spherical shape. These behaviors are linked to the concepts of hydrophilic and hydrophobic wetting states. Interestingly, certain surfaces demonstrate metastability, which means that depending on how the droplet is deposited, multiple wetting states can emerge. What surface properties contribute to these intriguing behaviors? How can we effectively characterize and gain insights into the transitions between these states? In this seminar, I will discuss these phenomena using a theoretical model and simulations [1, 2].

[1] M. Silvestrini, A. Tinti, A. Giacomello, and C. Brito,  Adv. Mater. Interfaces (2021) 2101005 

 [2] I. P. da Silva Ramos, C. Gavazzoni, D. Lazzari and Carolina Brito. Chem. Phys. 158, 154703 (2023)