Unraveling the role of vaporization momentum in self-jumping dynamics of freezing supercooled droplets at reduced pressures

Abstract

Supercooling of water complicates phase change dynamics, the understanding of which remains limited yet vital to energy-related and aerospace processes. Here, we investigate the freezing and jumping dynamics of supercooled water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces, induced by a remarkable vaporization momentum, in a low-pressure environment. The vaporization momentum arises from the vaporization at droplet’s free surface, progressed and intensified by recalescence, subsequently inducing droplet compression and finally self-jumping. By incorporating liquid-gas-solid phase changes involving vaporization, freezing recalescence, and liquid-solid interactions, we resolve the vaporization momentum and droplet dynamics, revealing a size-scaled jumping velocity and a nucleation-governed jumping direction. A droplet-size-defined regime map is established, distinguishing the vaporization-momentum-dominated self-jumping from evaporative drying and overpressure-initiated levitation, all induced by depressurization and vaporization. Our findings illuminate the role of supercooling and low-pressure mediated phase change in shaping fluid transport dynamics, with implications for passive anti-icing, advanced cooling, and climate physics.