Figure 2.
Contact times for impacting droplets for fixed-fixed (a–c) and cantilever (d–f) style mounted substrates as a function of impact speed and substrate stiffness for the three droplet diameter ranges. The critical impact speed, vc (also see Supplementary Information, section S.5), is marked with a dashed line. For impact speeds, v >vc, the contact time decreased as a result of the ‘springboard’ effect where the droplet lifted off the surface prior to fully retracting. Measurements were terminated once splashing occurred. Error bars are smaller than the symbol sizes and are not shown. In (b), droplets impacting the substrate with stiffness k = 63 N/m did so off-center from the axis, inducing a torsion of the substrate rather than an oscillation, and eliminating the possibility for contact time reduction.