Nucleation and destabilization of liquids on liquid-impregnated surfaces

A liquid-destabilizing apparatus comprising:

• a container including a substantially non-wetting surface, the surface having at least one of:
• a plurality of solid features and an impregnating liquid disposed thereon;
• and
• a nucleation member including at least one of:
• a nucleation object attached to an internal surface of the container by a tether;
• a reciprocating plunger disposed within the container;
• a pivotable rocker disposed within the container;
• an orifice in a wall of the container, the orifice coupled to a chamber comprising a plunger, the chamber and plunger disposed outside of, but attached to, the container;
• and
• a plurality of voids defined within an end wall of the container,
• the nucleation mechanism configured, in use, to contact and destabilize a film of a contact liquid disposed on the non-wetting surface.

A method of manufacturing a liquid-destabilizing article, the method comprising:

• providing a container including a plurality of walls defining an interior volume;
• applying and/or forming a matrix of solid features on an interior surface of the container;
• introducing an impregnating liquid into one or more interstitial regions defined by one or more spaces between the solid features of the matrix, such that the impregnating liquid is stably contained within the one or more interstitial regions regardless of orientation of the container;
• and
• attaching at least one of:
• a nucleation object and tether to an internal surface of the container;
• a reciprocating plunger to an internal surface of the container;
• a pivotable rocker to an internal surface of the container;
• a chamber comprising a plunger to an external surface of the container;
• and
• a plurality of void-defining structures to an interior surface of an end wall of the container.