Modeling of dynamic wetting far from equilibrium

In this paper we present simulations of dynamic wetting far from equilibrium based on phase field theory. In direct simulations of recent experiments [J. C. Bird, S. Mandre, and H. A. Stone, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 234501 (2008)], we show that in order to correctly capture the dynamics of rapid wetting, it is crucial to account for nonequilibrium at the contact line, where the gas, liquid, and solid meet. A term in the boundary condition at the solid surface that naturally arises in the phase field theory is interpreted as allowing for the establishment of a local structure in the immediate vicinity of the contact line. A direct qualitative and quantitative match with experimental data of spontaneously wetting liquid droplets is shown.