Fig. 2: Experimental setup and influence of pressurization rate on BtP.

a Schematic of the custom-built cell for studying the effects of static and cyclic pressure on a single doubly reentrant cavity (DRC). Headspace above the submerged sample is pressurized/depressurized, and wetting transitions are recorded using an overhead optical microscope. b BtP of DRC as a function of pressure ramp rate; BtP is defined as the pressure at which intruding water meniscus touches the cavity floor while being pinned at the DRC edge. The results showed that the higher the ramp rate, the higher the BtP. Note that the DRC’s diameter was 200 µm, and its depth was 55 µm.