REVIEW OF THE EFFECTS OF SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY, SURFACE CHEMISTRY, AND FLUID PHYSICS ON EVAPORATION AT THE CONTACT LINE

Abstract

Liquid-vapor phase-change processes are becoming increasingly important in a wide variety of fields ranging from energy conversion, to microelectronics cooling, MEMs devices, and self-assembly. The phase change in these systems is governed by processes that occur at the contact line, where three phases meet. Evidence suggests that alterations of the surface chemistry and surface topography on the nanoscale can be used to dramatically enhance the phase-change process. This article reviews the current state of the art in nanoscale surface modification as applied to the enhancement of evaporative processes.