SPP 2171 Spring Conference: Dynamic Wetting of Flexible, Adaptive, and Switchable Substrates

Water drops moving on surfaces are not only an everyday phenomenon seen on windows but also form an essential part of many industrial processes. Like in triboelectricity, moving drops can separate electric charges. This phenomenon is called slide or contact electrification. Typically, water drops sliding down hydrophobic surfaces spontaneously acquire a positive charge while they deposit negative charges on the solid surface. Three questions will be addressed: How can one measure charge separation and describe it quantitatively? How does charging influence the motion of sliding water drops? What are other consequences of slide electrification?