Where three phases meet: Dynamic wetting and the physics of contact lines
Hans-Jürgen Butt (MPI für Polymerforschung)

Physics near a contact line is the key to understanding dynamic wetting. We encounter wetting processes all the time in everyday life - typical applications include coating, printing, spreading herbicides and insecticides, and fogging. They also occur in the enrichment of minerals by flotation and in soldering and lubrication, as well as in the wetting of textiles and filters. Nevertheless, dynamic wetting is poorly understood, both qualitatively and quantitatively. To better understand these processes, it is necessary to consider the physics near the contact line where liquid, solid and gas meet