Volume 199, 2017

Is an electric field always a promoter of wetting? Electro-dewetting of metals by electrolytes probed by in situ X-ray nanotomography

Abstract

We developed a special electrochemical cell enabling quantitative analysis and in situ X-ray nanotomography of metal/electrolyte interfaces subject to corrosion. Using this cell and applying the nodoid model to describe menisci formed on tungsten wires during anodization, the evolution of the electrolyte surface tension, the concentration of reaction products, and the meniscus contact angle were studied. In contrast to the electrowetting effect, where the applied electric field decreases the contact angle of electrolytes, anodization of the tungsten wires increases the contact angle of the meniscus. Hence, an electric field favors dewetting rather than wetting of the newly formed surface. The discovered effect opens up new opportunities for the control of wetting phenomena and calls for the revision of existing theories of electrowetting.

Associated articles

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
22 ኖቬም 2016
Accepted
05 ጃንዩ 2017
First published
05 ጃንዩ 2017

Faraday Discuss., 2017,199, 101-114

Is an electric field always a promoter of wetting? Electro-dewetting of metals by electrolytes probed by in situ X-ray nanotomography

M. I. Nave, Y. Gu, Y. Karen Chen-Wiegart, J. Wang and K. G. Kornev, Faraday Discuss., 2017, 199, 101 DOI: 10.1039/C6FD00239K

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