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Wetting and spreading of nanofluids on solid surfaces driven by the structural disjoining pressure: statics analysis
Kirti Kondiparty1, Alex Nikolov, Stanley Wu
1Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Illinois 60616, United States.
Nanofluid spreading on surfaces is enhanced by structural disjoining pressure. Researchers found that specific nanoparticle sizes and concentrations enable spontaneous film spreading, even with non-zero contact angles.
Area of Science:
- Surface Science
- Nanotechnology
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Nanofluids, liquid suspensions of nanoparticles, have diverse technological applications.
- Structural disjoining pressure enhances nanofluid spreading compared to base liquids.
- Understanding these effects is crucial for optimizing nanofluid behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate the wetting and spreading of nanofluids.
- To analyze the influence of nanoparticle concentration, size, contact angle, and drop size.
- To explore spontaneous film spreading driven by structural disjoining pressure.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observations of nanofluid spreading on solid surfaces.
- Static analysis using the augmented Laplace equation.
- Monitoring spreading using advanced optical techniques.
- Investigating the effect of electrolytes like sodium chloride.
Main Results:
- Nanoparticle concentration, size, contact angle, and capillary pressure influence three-phase contact line displacement and spontaneous spreading.
- Complete wetting and spontaneous film spreading are achievable by decreasing nanoparticle size and interfacial tension.
- Effective parameters for dynamic spreading include ~40 nm effective particle size, <3° contact angle, >30 vol % concentration, and 0.5 mN/m interfacial tension.
Conclusions:
- Structural disjoining pressure is key to enhanced nanofluid wetting and spreading.
- Tailoring nanofluid properties allows for controlled spontaneous film formation.
- Experimental findings validate theoretical predictions of nanofluid behavior.
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