Non-isothermal spreading of liquid drops on horizontal plates

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Abstract
A viscous-liquid drop spreads on a smooth horizontal surface, which is uniformly heated or cooled. Lubrication theory is used to study thin drops subject to capillary, thermocapillary and gravity forces, and a variety of contact-angle-versus-speed conditions. It is found for isothermal drops that gravity is very important at large times and determines the power law for unlimited spreading. Predictions compare well with the experimental data on isothermal spreading for both two-dimensional and axisymmetric configurations. It is found that heating (cooling) retards (augments) the spreading process by creating flows that counteract (reinforce) those associated with isothermal spreading. For zero advancing contact angle, heating will prevent the drop from spreading to infinity. Thus, the heat transfer serves as a sensitive control on the spreading.