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Fluid pinch-off dynamics at nanometer length scales.
J C Burton1, J E Rutledge, P Taborek
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Irvine, California 92697, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|July 13, 2004
Summary
Researchers measured the electrical resistance of a shrinking liquid mercury bridge. This allowed probing the fluid breakup singularity down to nanometer scales, confirming theoretical predictions for inviscid flow.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Physics of fluids
- Surface tension phenomena
Background:
- Drop breakup is governed by surface tension and inertia.
- Fluid filament pinch-off creates a singularity at a finite time.
- Understanding singularities requires probing small scales.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the pinch-off singularity of a fluid filament.
- To measure electrical resistance during the breakup of a mercury bridge.
- To probe the singularity at nanosecond and nanometer scales.
Main Methods:
- Formation of a liquid bridge of mercury.
- Measurement of electrical resistance across the bridge during pinch-off.
- Analysis of resistance divergence near the singularity.
Main Results:
- Electrical resistance measurements probe the singularity region.
- Observed resistance divergence near pinch-off.
- Resistance follows a t(-2/3) power law, consistent with inviscid flow theory.
Conclusions:
- Experimental validation of inviscid fluid breakup theory.
- Electrical resistance is a viable probe for singularities.
- The study provides insights into nanoscale fluid dynamics.