Effect of nonionic surfactant on wetting behavior of an evaporating drop under a reduced pressure environment

The evaporation of sessile drops at reduced pressure is investigated. The evaporation of water droplets on aluminum and PTFE surfaces at reduced pressure was compared. It was found that water droplets on an aluminum surface exhibit a 'depinning jump' at subatmospheric pressures. This is when a pinned droplet suddenly depins, with an increase in contact angle and a simultaneous decrease in the base width. The evaporation of sessile water droplets with a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-400) added to an aluminum surface was then studied. The initial contact angle exhibited a minimum at 0.001 wt% Triton X-100. A maximum in the evaporation rate was also observed at the same concentration. Droplets with low surfactant concentrations are found to exhibit the 'depinning jump. It is thought that the local concentration of the surfactant causes a gradient of surface tension. The balance at the contact angle is dictated by complex phenomena, including surfactant diffusion and adsorption processes at interfaces. Due to the strong evaporation near the triple line, an accumulation of the surfactant will lead to a surface tension gradient along the interface. The gradient of surface tension will influence the wetting behavior (Marangoni effect). At low surfactant concentrations the contact line depins under the strong effect of surface tension gradient that develops spontaneously over the droplet interface due to surfactant accumulation near the triple line. The maximum evaporation rate corresponds to a minimum contact angle for a pinned droplet. (C) 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.