Liquid Marble-Induced Dewetting

We explored the wetting regimes inherent to liquid marbles filled with aqueous alcohol placed on water layers of various thicknesses. Very different wetting regimes are observed, depending on the thickness h of the supporting water layer: (i) Marangoni soluto-capillary flow-driven self-propulsion for h ≥ 1.2 mm; (ii) dewetting followed by the retraction of the triple line for 0.63 mm < h < 1.2 mm; and (iii) dewetting that is not followed by the retraction of the triple line for h < 0.63 mm. A semiquantitative model of wetting is suggested. The kinetics of growth of the dewetted area is studied. The dynamics of dewetting demonstrates the Marangoni-inspired growth of holes in the situation when the triple line is surrounded by the so-called precursor film. The estimation of the maximal Marangoni tension is given.