Oil lenses on the air-water surface and the validity of Neumann's rule

Many studies have focused on the mechanisms of oil spreading over the air-water surface, oil lens formation, and lens dynamics: Franklin et al.(1774), Rayleigh (1890), Neumann and Wangerin (1894), Hardy (1912), Lyons (1930), Langmuir (1933), Miller (1941), Zisman (1941), Pujado and Scriven (1972), Seeto et al. (1983), and Takamura et al. (2012). Despite all of these studies, the phenomenon of the oil lens's air-water surface equilibrium is still under discussion. Here, we highlight an accurate method to study the oil lens's three-phase-contact angle by reflected light interferometry, using both common (CRLI) and differential reflected light interferometry (DRLI) to verify Neumann's rule (the vectorial sum of the three tensions is zero). For non-spreading oils, the validity of Neumann's rule is confirmed for small lenses when the role of the oil film tension around the lens's meniscus is taken into consideration. Neumann's rule was also validated when the monolayer surface pressure isotherm was taken into consideration for oil spreading on the air-water surface. The periodic monolayer surface pressure oscillation of the oil phase monolayer created by the air-evaporating biphilic oil was monitored with time. The monolayer's surface pressure periodic oscillation was attributed to the instability of the aqueous film covering the oil drop phase. The knowledge gained from this study will benefit the fundamental understanding of the oil lens's air-water surface equilibrium and oil spill mechanisms, thereby promoting better methods for the prevention and clean-up of oil spills.