A Phase-Field Approach for Wetting Phenomena of Multiphase Droplets on Solid Surfaces

Abstract

We study the equilibrium wetting behavior of immiscible multiphase systems on a flat, solid substrate. We present numerical computations which are based on a vector-valued multiphase-field model of Allen-Cahn type, with a new boundary condition, based on appropriately designed surface energy contributions in order to ensure the right contact angles at multiphase junctions. Experimental investigations are carried out to validate the method and to support the numerical results.