The role of polymer adhesion to solid surfaces for drop rebound

This work investigated the high molecular weight polymer drop rebound and deposition phenomena, particularly in the dilute regime. Enhancing drop deposition dynamics is crucial for many applications including agricultural pesticide application to minimize spray drift and drop rebound from leaves. Although high molecular weight polymer drop impact has been extensively studied and shown to improve drop retention dynamics on leaves, in this study, we show that large molecular weight (MDa) in polymers is insufficient for suppressing drop rebound. We found that when the polymer–solid interaction is favorable, it results in an anti-rebound effect; otherwise, it leads to partial or complete rebound. We utilized a drop generator and high-speed imaging to investigate the impact dynamics of various polymeric drops on a hydrophobic surface (e.g., Parafilm).