A particle finite element based model for droplet spreading analysis

In this paper, a particle finite element method (PFEM) based model is proposed to analyze the dynamics of droplet spreading on solid substrates (wetting). In order to predict the spreading rate of the droplet on the solid substrate and track the corresponding contact angle evolution, dissipative forces at the contact line are included in the formulation in addition to the Navier-slip boundary conditions at the solid-liquid interface. Doing so, it is possible to account for the induced Young’s stress at the contact line and for the viscous dissipation along the solid-liquid interfacial region, which are essential to obtain a mesh-independent physical solution. The results are in agreement with the data from experiments of spreading droplets and micro sessile droplet injection.