Interplay of wetting and phase separation at surfaces

We review our understanding of surface-directed spinodal decomposition (SDSD), i.e., the interplay of wetting and phase separation in an unstable AB mixture placed in contact with a wetting surface. In this context, we present results for two problems, viz., SDSD in a semi-infinite geometry with a completely wet surface; and SDSD in a thin-film geometry with partially wet surfaces.