Electrowetting-on-dielectric assisted bubble detachment in a liquid film

Drawing inspiration from electrowetting-controlled droplets, the potential advantages of electrowetting for bubble dynamics are investigated experimentally. In this study, we present and characterize an open electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) system for studying the bubble behavior. Both detachment and non-detachment processes of a small single bubble in a thick liquid film under EWOD were experimentally observed. The measurement of contact angle changes of the small air bubble shows relatively good agreement with Young-Lippmann's equation within the majority of the test voltage range, except for the saturation region. Meanwhile, we have experimentally demonstrated both the characteristics of single- and double-bubble detachment within a thin liquid film. Direct bubble detachment may occur when it touches the gas-liquid interface during the process of contact angle change, while indirect bubble detachment is highly possible due to the dramatic oscillation resulting from the detachment of adjacent bubbles. The experimental results demonstrate that EWOD can effectively facilitate the detachment of small air bubble in a thin liquid film.