Viscoelastic braking of a running drop

Wetting or dewetting on soft elastomeric surfaces is largely controlled by the dissipative properties (viscoelasticity) of the substrate. The componen t of liquid surface tension acting perpendicularly to the solid causes a de formation, or "wetting ridge", which must be displaced with the triple line . Previously, triple line motion due to capillary imbalance has been studie d, whereas in the present work, we consider liquid motion due to gravity. L iquid drops running down an elastomeric plane move at a speed largely deter mined by the properties of the polymer. Results obtained agree well with th e theory and demonstrate how motion depends on the state of the polymer, th e angle of inclination of the plane, and drop volume.