Exceptional Robustness and Self‐Reconfigurability of Liquid Marbles on Superhydrophobic Substrate

Nonstick transport of droplets on a solid surface is observed when they are covered with jammed hydrophobic particles. However, these “liquid marbles” (LMs) have low mechanical stability because, in controlling the jammed particles, exposure of the droplet surface often occurs with deformation that irreversibly causes the droplet to adhere to the solid surface in a funicular state. Here, it is shown that LMs on superhydrophobic surfaces are mechanically stable and self‐reconfigurable following mechanical impact or exposure of the droplet surface. Observation by a high‐speed bottom‐view camera revealed that this is because of reversible capillary‐partial Cassie transitions. Thus, superhydrophobic surfaces are scalable and low‐cost platforms for LM synthesis and manipulation, and enable reversible tuning of interfacial packing on LMs with mechanical stability. Liquid marbles on superhydrophobic surfaces are mechanically stable and self‐reconfigurable following mechanical impact or exposure of the droplet surface. This is because of reversible capillary‐partial Cassie transitions. Thus, superhydrophobic surfaces are scalable and low‐cost platforms for liquid marble synthesis and manipulation, and enable reversible tuning of interfacial packing on liquid marbles with mechanical stability.