Computation of Equilibrium Bilayer Monodisperse Foam Structures Using the Surface Evolver
Fuyang Li1, Chengchuan Zhang1, K A Brakke2
1State Key Laboratory of Advanced Special Steel & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Ferro-metallurgy & School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China.
Scientific Reports
|July 23, 2017
Summary
Researchers simulated bilayer monodisperse wet foams, finding the Tóth structure is favored at low liquid fractions. Above 2.26% liquid, the honeycomb structure becomes more stable, though Tóth remains metastable.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Soft Matter Physics
- Computational Physics
Background:
- Bilayer monodisperse wet foams exhibit reversible structural transitions with changing liquid fraction.
- Previous studies identified these transitions through physical experiments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To simulate and analyze the interfacial energy of two ordered structures in bilayer monodisperse wet foams.
- To understand the energetic basis for the observed structural transitions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Surface Evolver software to minimize surface energy.
- Analyzed interfacial energy for two distinct bilayer foam structures across varying liquid fractions.
Main Results:
- The Tóth structure is energetically favorable below a critical liquid fraction of approximately 2.26%.
- Above this critical value, the honeycomb structure becomes the preferred, energy-minimizing configuration.
- The Tóth structure remains in a metastable state even when the honeycomb structure is preferred.
Conclusions:
- Computational analysis confirms the liquid fraction-driven structural transition in bilayer foams.
- The critical liquid fraction of 2.26% dictates the stability switch between Tóth and honeycomb structures.
- Foam structure stability is directly linked to interfacial energy minimization and liquid content.
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