Why water skitters off sizzling surfaces – and how to stop it

Water droplets on very hot surfaces bounce and skitter around on a thin cushion of water vapour. This phenomenon is known as the Leidenfrost Effect and it’s something that engineers often want to avoid as it makes water-based cooling systems less efficient. Now, researchers in Hong Kong have put forward a newly designed surface intended to prevent the bouncing and skittering of the Leidenfrost Effect. Read the full paper here: