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Fabrication and Visualization of Capillary Bridges in Slit Pore Geometry

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Published on: January 9, 2014

Elastocapillary deformations on partially-wetting substrates: rival contact-line models.

Joshua B Bostwick¹, Michael Shearer, Karen E Daniels

¹Department of Engineering Science and Applied Mathematics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA. joshua.bostwick@northwestern.edu.

|August 1, 2014

Summary

Theoretical models for partially-wetting liquids deforming elastic substrates are crucial. This study presents a general solution incorporating surface stress, essential for accurate predictions and eliminating inadequate contact-line models.

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Area of Science:

Physics
Materials Science
Fluid Dynamics

Background:

Partially-wetting liquids deform elastic substrates.
Wetting forces at the contact-line require theoretical models.
Surface stress from liquid/solid and solid/gas interfaces influences deformation.

Purpose of the Study:

Develop a general theoretical solution for elastic substrate deformation due to wetting forces.
Incorporate internal surface stress contributions.
Compare different contact-line models and experimental results.

Main Methods:

Construct a general solution using a displacement potential function.
Solve a non-standard boundary-value problem using dual integral equations.
Incorporate surface stress (liquid/solid Σls and solid/gas Σsg).

Main Results:

A general solution for elastic deformations caused by wetting forces was derived.
The model incorporates generalized solid surface tension (Σls ≠ Σsg).
Comparisons with experiments were performed to validate the model.

Conclusions:

The generalization of solid surface tension is essential for partial-wetting models.
The developed model accurately describes substrate deformation.
Specific contact-line models were systematically eliminated based on experimental comparisons.