Pool boiling performance of laser-textured surfaces with time-dependent wettability

Abstract

In last years, the direct laser texturing proved as environmentally friendly, scalable, flexible and efficient approach for surface functionalisation by creating appropriate surface features for enhanced boiling performance. When metal surface is laser-processed in open (oxygen-containing) atmosphere, it oxidizes and becomes (super)hydrophilic. However, it is well known that the wettability transition towards (super)hydrophobic state occur, if such a surface is exposed to the presence of hydrophobic contaminants. When water is used as a working fluid, this wettability transition can have a significant effect on nucleate boiling performance, which is investigated in this work.