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Updated: May 25, 2026

Microtensiometer for Confocal Microscopy Visualization of Dynamic Interfaces
Published on: September 9, 2022
Dynamics of a climbing surfactant-laden film--I: base-state flow
A Mavromoustaki1, O K Matar, R V Craster
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, United Kingdom. am503@math.ucla.edu
Abstract:
The dynamics of a surfactant-laden film climbing up an inclined plane is investigated through a two-dimensional (2-D), nonlinear evolution equation for the interface coupled to convective-diffusion equations for the surfactant, derived using lubrication theory. One-dimensional (1-D) solutions, representing the base-state flow, are investigated for constant flux and constant volume configurations; these flows are parameterised by capillarity, gravity, convection-diffusion ratios (represented by Péclét numbers at the surface and bulk), a solubility parameter, sorption kinetics constants, the number of surfactant monomers in a micelle, and the nonlinearity of the surfactant equation of state. In both configurations studied, a front develops spreading up the substrate against the direction of gravity whereby the leading edge of the front follows a power-law as a function of time. The effect of system parameters on the base-state flow is explored through an extensive parametric study, while the stability of the above-mentioned system to spanwise perturbations is the focus of Part II.
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