The impact of liquid drops on superhydrophobic solid surfaces is ubiquitous and of practical importance in many industrial processes. Here, we study the impingement of droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces with a macroscopic dimple structure, during which the droplet exhibits asymmetric jetting. Systematic experimental investigations and numerical simulations provide insight into the dynamics and underlying mechanisms of the observed phenomenon. The observation is a result of the interaction between the spreading droplet and the dimple. An upward internal flow is induced by the dimple, which is then superimposed on the horizontal flow inside the spreading droplet. As such, an inclined jet is issued asymmetrically into the air. This work would be conducive to the development of an open-space microfluidic platform for droplet manipulation and generation.
Keywords: asymmetric jetting; droplet impact; droplet manipulation; superhydrophobic surface.