Transition of liquid marble impacts onto solid surfaces

Liquid marbles are liquid droplets covered with hydrophobic particles. This particular layer physically isolates them from the substrate on which they are deposited. In this study, we investigate the properties of such liquid marbles when impacting onto a solid substrate. The different behaviors during impact (non-bouncing, bouncing and rupture) are experimentally characterized and scenarios for understanding the transitions between the three regimes are proposed. Eventually, we highlight the importance of particle surface coverage by comparing the impact of a liquid marble on a smooth surface with the impact of a bare water drop on a rough superhydrophobic microtextured surface.