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Effects of London-van der Waals forces on the thinning of a dimpled liquid film as a small drop or bubble approaches a horizontal solid plane

Journal Article · · AIChE J.; (United States)

When a small drop or bubble approaches a solid surface, a thin liquid film forms between them, drains, until an instability forms and coalescence occurs. Lin and Slattery developed a hydrodynamic theory for the first portion of this coalescence process: the drainage of the thin liquid film while it is sufficiently thick that the effects of London-van der Waals forces and electrostatic forces can be ignored. Here the effects of the London-van der Waals forces are included. The resulting theory describes the evolution of the film profile, given only the bubble radius and the required physical properties. The inclusion of a positive disjoining pressure results in better descriptions of the film profiles measured by Platikanov for air bubbles pressed against glass plates. When the disjoining pressure is negative, an unstable draining film evolves and finally ruptures.

Research Organization:
Dept. of Chemical Engineering Northwestern Univ, Evanston, IL 60201
OSTI ID:
5924006
Journal Information:
AIChE J.; (United States), Journal Name: AIChE J.; (United States) Vol. 28:6; ISSN AICEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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