Leidenfrost droplet billiard balls

Since 1756, Leidenfrost droplets have been extensively investigated for their intriguing physics and promising applications. Here, we identify and study an interesting phenomenon which we term Leidenfrost droplet billiard ball collision, providing an answer to the fate of two identical Leidenfrost droplets after they collide. Fundamental mechanisms governing the collision between multiple Leidenfrost droplets are elucidated, expanding the temperature range of droplet manipulation technologies from room temperature to several hundred degrees Celsius. This work helps guide the development of liquid transport technologies for a plethora of applications, such as selective chemical synthesis.