Toward the hydrophobic state transition by the appropriate vibration of substrate

On the basis of molecular-dynamics simulations, we demonstrate the transition from hydrophobic to super-hydrophobic or hydrophilic to hydrophobic by substrate vibration. The wetting degree can be modulated by the substrate vibration period and substrate vibration amplitude. A phase diagram emerging out of the vibration amplitude threshold from the simulations and can offer a quantitative guideline toward a feasible and robust physical approach to applications. Furthermore, we show that the wettability of a graphene surface can be controlled by tuning its surface energy via an external field. Our work demonstrates that vibration is a promising method to apply in practice. © Europhysics Letters Association.