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Measurement of critical contact angle in a microgravity space experiment

Journal Article · · Experiments in Fluids
OSTI ID:771703

Mathematical theory predicts that small changes in container shape or in contact angle can give rise to large shifts of liquid in a microgravity environment. This phenomenon was investigated in the Interface Configuration Experiment on board the NASA USML-2 Space Shuttle flight. The experiment's double proboscis containers were designed to strike a balance between conflicting requirements of sizable volume of liquid shift (for ease of observation) and abruptness of the shift (for accurate determination of critical contact angle). The experimental results support the classical concept of macroscopic contact angle and demonstrate the role of hysteresis in impeding orientation toward equilibrium.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Director, Office of Science. Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (US)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
771703
Report Number(s):
LBNL--43930
Journal Information:
Experiments in Fluids, Journal Name: Experiments in Fluids Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 28; ISSN EXFLDU; ISSN 0723-4864
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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