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Updated: Jun 5, 2026

Film Control to Study Contributions of Waves to Droplet Impact Dynamics on Thin Flowing Liquid Films
Published on: August 18, 2018
Thin film formation during splashing of viscous liquids
Michelle M Driscoll1, Cacey S Stevens, Sidney R Nagel
1The James Franck Institute and Department of Physics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
Abstract:
After impact onto a smooth dry surface, a drop of viscous liquid initially spreads in the form of a thick lamella. If the drop splashes, it first emits a thin fluid sheet that can ultimately break up into droplets causing the splash. Ambient gas is crucial for creating this thin sheet. The time for sheet ejection, t{ejt}, depends on impact velocity, liquid viscosity, gas pressure, and molecular weight. A central air bubble is trapped below the drop at pressures even below that necessary for this sheet formation. In addition, air bubbles are entrained underneath the spreading lamella when the ejected sheet is present. Air entrainment ceases at a lamella velocity that is independent of drop impact velocity as well as ambient gas pressure.
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