Directional transport of high-temperature Janus droplets mediated by structural topography

Directed motion of liquid droplets is of considerable importance in various water and thermal management technologies. Although various methods to generate such motion have been developed at low temperature, they become rather ineffective at high temperature, where the droplet transits to a Leidenfrost state. In this state, it becomes challenging to control and direct the motion of the highly mobile droplets towards specific locations on the surface without compromising the effective heat transfer. Here we report that the wetting symmetry of a droplet can be broken at high temperature by creating two concurrent thermal states (Leidenfrost and contact-boiling) on a topographically patterned surface, thus engendering a preferential motion of a droplet towards the region with a higher heat transfer coefficient. The fundamental understanding and the ability to control the droplet dynamics at high temperature have promising applications in various systems requiring high thermal efficiency, operational security and fidelity. Controlled motion of a droplet on a hot surface is hampered by the formation of an evaporation layer below the droplet (Leidenfrost effect). But a cleverly patterned surface induces a Leidenfrost–contact-boiling state, directing the droplet’s motion.