Enhanced singular jet formation in oil-coated bubble bursting

Bubbles are ubiquitous in many natural and engineering processes, and bubble bursting aerosols are of particular interest because of their critical role in mass and momentum transfer across interfaces. All prior studies claim that bursting of a millimeter-sized bare bubble at an aqueous surface produces jet drops with a typical size of $\boldsymbol{O}$(100 \si{\micro\relax}m), much larger than film drops of $\boldsymbol{O}$(1 \si{\micro\relax}m) from the disintegration of a bubble cap. Here, we document the hitherto unknown phenomenon that jet drops can be as small as a few microns when the bursting bubble is coated by a thin oil layer. We provide evidence that the faster and smaller jet drops result from the singular dynamics of the oil-coated cavity collapse. The unique air-oil-water compound interface offers a distinct damping mechanism to smooth out the precursor capillary waves during cavity collapse, leading to a more efficient focusing of the dominant wave and thus allowing singular jets over a much wider parameter space beyond that of a bare bubble. We develop a theoretical explanation for the parameter limits of the singular jet regime by considering the interplay among inertia, surface tension, and viscous effects. As such contaminated bubbles are widely observed, the previously unrecognized fast and small contaminant-laden jet drops may enhance bubble-driven flux across the interface, contributing to the aerosolization and airborne transmission of bulk substances

A Magnetically Actuated Superhydrophobic Ratchet Surface for Droplet Manipulation

A water droplet dispensed on a superhydrophobic ratchet surface is formed into an asymmetric shape, which creates a Laplace pressure gradient due to the contact angle difference between two sides. This work presents a magnetically actuated superhydrophobic ratchet surface composed of nanostructured black silicon strips on elastomer ridges. Uniformly magnetized NdFeB layers sputtered under the black silicon strips enable an external magnetic field to tilt the black silicon strips and form a superhydrophobic ratchet surface. Due to the dynamically controllable Laplace pressure gradient, a water droplet on the reported ratchet surface experiences different forces on two sides, which are explored in this work. Here, the detailed fabrication procedure and the related magnetomechanical model are provided. In addition, the resultant asymmetric spreading of a water droplet is studied. Finally, droplet impact characteristics are investigated in three different behaviors of deposition, rebound, and penetration depending on the impact speed. The findings in this work are exploitable for further droplet manipulation studies based on a dynamically controllable superhydrophobic ratchet surface

Liquid metal droplets bouncing higher on thicker water layer

Abstract Liquid metal (LM) has gained increasing attention for a wide range of applications, such as flexible electronics, soft robots, and chip cooling devices, owing to its low melting temperature, good flexibility, and high electrical and thermal conductivity. In ambient conditions, LM is susceptible to the coverage of a thin oxide layer, resulting in unwanted adhesion with underlying substrates that undercuts its originally high mobility. Here, we discover an unusual phenomenon characterized by the complete rebound of LM droplets from the water layer with negligible adhesion. More counterintuitively, the restitution coefficient, defined as the ratio between the droplet velocities after and before impact, increases with water layer thickness. We reveal that the complete rebound of LM droplets originates from the trapping of a thinly low-viscosity water lubrication film that prevents droplet-solid contact with low viscous dissipation, and the restitution coefficient is modulated by the negative capillary pressure in the lubrication film as a result of the spontaneous spreading of water on the LM droplet. Our findings advance the fundamental understanding of complex fluids’ droplet dynamics and provide insights for fluid control

D-dopachrome tautomerase activates COX2/PGE2 pathway of astrocytes to mediate inflammation following spinal cord injury

Abstract Background Astrocytes are the predominant glial cell type in the central nervous system (CNS) that can secrete various cytokines and chemokines mediating neuropathology in response to danger signals. D-dopachrome tautomerase (D-DT), a newly described cytokine and a close homolog of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) protein, has been revealed to share an overlapping function with MIF in some ways. However, its cellular distribution pattern and mediated astrocyte neuropathological function in the CNS remain unclear. Methods A contusion model of the rat spinal cord was established. The protein levels of D-DT and PGE2 synthesis-related proteinase were assayed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Primary astrocytes were stimulated by different concentrations of D-DT in the presence or absence of various inhibitors to examine relevant signal pathways. The post-injury locomotor functions were assessed using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) locomotor scale. Results D-DT was inducibly expressed within astrocytes and neurons, rather than in microglia following spinal cord contusion. D-DT was able to activate the COX2/PGE2 signal pathway of astrocytes through CD74 receptor, and the intracellular activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) was involved in the regulation of D-DT action. The selective inhibitor of D-DT was efficient in attenuating D-DT-induced astrocyte production of PGE2 following spinal cord injury, which contributed to the improvement of locomotor functions. Conclusion Collectively, these data reveal a novel inflammatory activator of astrocytes following spinal cord injury, which might be beneficial for the development of anti-inflammation drug in neuropathological CNS