Droplet Fast Gyrating on the Anisotropic Surface

It is fundamental and practical to understand the basic hydrodynamic principles of bouncing droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces and to develop control strategies. Although recent research has focused on adjusting the contact time of the bouncing droplet, little attention has been paid to manipulating the rebound of the droplet from the perspective of energy optimization, which determines the development of long-term continuous dynamics. Here, we study the impact of water droplets on an anisotropic superhydrophobic surface at a low Weber number of 3.85, where the droplets bounce vertically after impacting the surface and gyrotron tangentially at a speed of 7200 rpm. The initial kinetic energy required can be reduced by more than double relative to the traditional bounce behavior at the same bounce distance in the horizontal direction. This study proposes a low-energy long-distance transport method for droplets, providing valuable insights for enabling energy-efficient applications, including self-cleaning surfaces, liquid transfer, and spray cooling in industrial settings.