Numerical study of thermocapillary and slip effects on interfacial destabilization under surface acoustic waves

The rapid development of microfluidics has significantly highlighted the role of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) in microfluidic actuation. SAW influences droplet manipulation, inducing interface instability and processes such as droplet splitting, jetting, and atomization, which have been key research focal points. Previous studies have identified a close correlation between these instability mechanisms and three critical parameters: the Marangoni number ( M a ), associated with piezoelectric substrate thermal effects; the slip coefficient ( β 0 ), related to piezoelectric substrate slip; and the acoustic capillary number ( C ). Given the intimate link between the aspect ratio ( H / L , where H is the characteristic height, and L is the characteristic width of droplets) and atomization size, this study comprehensively investigates the combined effects of these factors on the droplet aspect ratio H / L . Specifically, increases in the acoustic capillary number C and slip coefficient β 0 promote reductions in droplet height ( H ) and outward expansion ( L ), while the Marangoni number M a counteracts this expansion, maintaining larger H / L values. This inhibitory effect is particularly pronounced when C and β 0 are small but diminishes as their values increase. Additionally, higher values of C and β 0 accelerate the convergence of the H / L ratio, whereas M a decreases the rate of this convergence. Through the coordinated interplay of M a , β 0 , and C , multidimensional and fine-tuned adjustments of the droplet aspect ratio H / L over a wide range can be achieved.