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Electrowetting of partially wetting thin nanofluid films
Monojit Chakraborty1, Rahul Chatterjee1, Udita Uday Ghosh1
1Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur 721302, India.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|March 20, 2015
Summary
Negatively charged nanoparticles enhance liquid film spreading and contact line motion under electric fields. Particle size and concentration influence spreading, with electric field polarity affecting flow dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- Liquid films exhibit complex behavior under external stimuli.
- Electric fields can influence fluid dynamics, particularly in partially wetting systems.
- Nanoparticles can alter material properties and interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of charged nanoparticles on electric-field-induced spreading and contact line dynamics.
- To quantify the relationship between nanoparticle characteristics (size, concentration) and film behavior.
- To explore the role of electric field polarity on fluid flow.
Main Methods:
- Utilized image-analyzing interferometry to measure meniscus profiles and curvature.
- Employed video microscopy with frame-by-frame analysis to determine instantaneous contact line velocities.
- Developed an analytical model based on the Young-Laplace equation to analyze meniscus motion.
Main Results:
- Presence of negatively charged nanoparticles significantly alters electric-field-induced spreading.
- Enhanced spreading observed with increased nanoparticle size and weight fraction.
- Electric field polarity reversal impacts flow dynamics toward the contact line.
Conclusions:
- Nanoparticles play a crucial role in modulating electric-field-driven fluid dynamics in partially wetting films.
- The study provides experimental validation for an analytical model predicting electric-field-induced contact line motion.
