Changing Emulsion Dynamics with Heterogeneous Surface Wettability

We elucidate the effect of heterogeneous surface wettability on the morphology and dynamics of microfluidic emulsions, generated by a co-flowing device. We first design a useful methodology of modifying a micro-capillary with desired heterogeneous wettability, such as alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. Subsequently, the effects of flow rates and heterogeneous wettability on the emulsion morphology and motion in the micro-capillary are investigated. Our experimental data reveal a universal critical time scale of advective emulsions, above which the microfluidic emulsions remain intact, whereas below this time-scale emulsions become adhesive or inverse. A simple model based on a force balance can be used to explain this critical transition. These results show a control of emulsion dynamics by tuning the droplet size and the Capillary number, the ratio of viscous to surface effects, with heterogeneous surface wettability.