# CAREER: Uncover contact line dynamics during thin film evaporation on micro/nano-engineered surfaces with combined velocimetry, thermometry, and interferometry

> **NSF 01002223DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · University of California-Riverside (CA) · $595,739

## Abstract

Computers and electronics with ever-increasing power densities have become an indispensable part of our daily life to support our learning, communication, driving, and other applications. Effective thermal management technologies are essential to cool these devices to a safe temperature to sustain their high performance. Thin film evaporation, based on continuous evaporation of very thin films of liquid coolant, is a promising cooling strategy due to its simple design, high cooling capacity, and high stability. By incorporating micro/nano-structures such as micro-pillars and nano-pores, the cooling capacity of thin film evaporation has been significantly improved in recent years but is still much lower than theory predictions, due to the lack of fundamental understanding, especially the detailed flow and thermal characteristics at microscopic and nanoscopic scales. This CAREER project seeks to study fluid flow and thermal transport processes at evaporating interfaces by accurately measuring the flow speed, film shape and temperature within thin coolant films that are typically a few micrometers thick. The knowledge gained will be integrated into educational and outreach activities by establishing a thermal-fluid instructional laboratory at Montana State University and creating educational materials targeting the general public and school children.
 
The overarching goal of this project is to advance the fundamental understanding of the flow, thermal transport, and contact l

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2545888
- **Awardee organization:** University of California-Riverside (CA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** MR5QC5FCAVH5
- **PI:** Yaofa Li
- **Primary program:** 01002223DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** CAREER-Faculty Erly Career Dev, EXP PROG TO STIM COMP RES
- **Estimated total:** $595,739
- **Funds obligated:** $297,870
- **Transaction type:** Continuing Grant
- **Period:** 09/01/2025 → 06/30/2028

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2545888

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2545888, CAREER: Uncover contact line dynamics during thin film evaporation on micro/nano-engineered surfaces with combined velocimetry, thermometry, and interferometry. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-08 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2545888. Licensed CC0.

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