Reducing Foam Friction with Self Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces

Abstract

Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between foam friction and surface roughness is essential for achieving precise control over their flow dynamics. In particular, a major challenge is to reduce friction, which can be achieved with rough surfaces in the situation where a liquid infuses the asperities. In this study, we propose to explore self-infused surfaces. We first present simple observations to demonstrate the effectiveness of our surface design by recording the motion of a foam puddle on a smooth surface and a self-SLIPS. To quantify friction reduction, we conduct stress measurements on surfaces moved at a constant velocity. Finally, we interpret the variation of the friction force with the velocity by a model considering an effective slip length of the surface. This research paves the way for a novel approach to mitigate dissipation in liquid foam flows, holding significant implications for reducing energy consumption in conveying foams for industrial processes and various end-use applications.