Wang, Yung-ChingYung-ChingWangChen, Yi-MinYi-MinChenTsao, Heng-KwongHeng-KwongTsaoYU-JANE SHENG2026-03-162026-03-162026-05-1500219797https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105028921939&origin=resultslisthttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/736357Hypothesis: Although the spreading of precursor films associated with total wetting liquids can be observed in droplet wetting or capillary flow, concurrent variations in evolving meniscus shape and transient Laplace pressure complicate the direct observation of the precursor film dynamics. To overcome this challenge, the present study employs a configuration that allows the liquid source to stabilize at the entrance, enabling the advancement of the precursor film to be exclusively monitored and analyzed under a constant driving force. Methods: The spontaneous advancement of precursor films, leaking from a reservoir to an isolated wall, is investigated using many-body dissipative particle dynamics simulations. The influences of surface wettability and the entrance width on the precursor film dynamics are systematically quantified. Findings: The advancing precursor film exhibits diffusion-like behavior, where the propagation length scales with t1/2. The spreading rate is governed by the interplay between the driving forces, characterized by the spreading coefficient (S) and entrance width (N), and the resistive wall friction. Specifically, the spreading rate increases with S at low wettability but eventually saturates. This saturation suggests that the increase in driving forces is effectively offset by the rising wall friction. Furthermore, widening the entrance facilitates faster spreading by reducing the Laplace pressure.falseLaplace pressureMany-body dissipative particle dynamicsPrecursor filmSpreading coefficientTotal wetting liquidjournal article10.1016/j.jcis.2026.1400072-s2.0-105028921939