Adhesive Properties of a Droplet on a Partially Wetting Surface

This study presents a new theoretical model to analyze the adhesive properties of a droplet resting on a partially wetting solid surface (contact angle θ < π/2). The Lennard-Jones interatomic potential and the continuum approximation for interacting atoms were employed. Expressions for the potential energy of the droplet’s interaction with the substrate and the specific work of adhesion were derived, and a condition for the droplet’s mechanical stability was formulated. Numerical calculations for the Pb (droplet)–Fe (substrate) system qualitatively agree with the results of molecular dynamics simulations.