We present in this letter an experimental characterization of liquid flow
slippage over superhydrophobic surfaces made of carbon nanotube forests,
incorporated in microchannels. We make use of a micro-PIV (Particule Image
Velocimetry) technique to achieve the submicrometric resolution on the flow
profile necessary for accurate measurement of the surface hydrodynamic
properties. We demonstrate boundary slippage on the Cassie superhydrophobic
state, associated with slip lengths of a few microns, while a vanishing slip
length is found in the Wenzel state, when the liquid impregnates the surface.
Varying the lateral roughness scale L of our carbon nanotube forest-based
superhydrophobic surfaces, we demonstrate that the slip length varies linearly
with L in line with theoretical predictions for slippage on patterned surfaces.Comment: under revie