Insights into surfactant-assisted superspreading

• Superspreading depends on diffusion processes of different time scales.
• Superspreading is influenced by numerous factors.
• Experiment has revealed the influence of ambient and structural parameters.
• Continuum theory is able to propose plausible mechanisms in line with experiment.
• Molecular dynamics simulations elucidate the surfactant microscopic behavior.

Recent developments in “superspreading” are highlighted showing this phenomenon to be due to the combined effect of diffusion processes, Marangoni stresses, surfactant, solvent and substrate chemistry, and ambient conditions. The ultimate resolution of the driving mechanisms will involve the application of molecular dynamics simulations together with continuum-scale modeling and multi-scale experimentation.

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