Paper Published in Soft Matter: Supercooled Droplet Impinging and Freezing

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest research article in Soft Matter (Royal Society of Chemistry):

H. Zhang, J. Ahumada Lazo, MDSB Sarwar, and Y. Liu, “Revealing the Dynamic and Thermal Behaviors of Supercooled Droplet Impinging on Surfaces with Varying Wettability,” Soft Matter, Advance Article, 2025.

This study uncovers the coupled dynamic and thermal responses of supercooled droplets impacting surfaces with different wettability characteristics. By combining high-speed visualization and infrared thermography, the team reveals how surface wetting properties govern droplet spreading, freezing onset, and heat-transfer pathways during rapid phase change.

The findings provide new physical insight into droplet-surface interactions under supercooled conditions, with implications for aircraft icing mitigation, anti-icing coatings, and thermal-management applications.

Congratulations to the team for their outstanding work and collaboration!

Read the article on Soft Matter