  Directed motion of liquid droplets is of considerable importance in various
industrial processes. Despite extensive advances in this field of research, our
understanding and the ability to control droplet dynamics at high temperature
remain limited, in part due to the emergence of complex wetting states
intertwined by the phase change process at the triple-phase interfaces. Here we
show that two concurrent wetting states (Leidenfrost and contact boiling) can
be manifested in a single droplet above its boiling point rectified by the
presence of asymmetric textures. The breaking of the wetting symmetry at high
temperature subsequently leads to the preferential motion towards the region
with higher heat transfer coefficient. We demonstrate experimentally and
analytically that the droplet vectoring is intricately dependent on the
interplay between the structural topography and its imposed thermal state. Our
fundamental understanding and the ability to control the droplet dynamics at
high temperature represent an important advance and enable the rational design
of various surfaces for multifunctional applications, especially in high
temperature thermal systems where high energy efficiency, security and
stability are preferred.
