Self-Similar Liquid Lens Coalescence
Hack MA, Tewes W, Xie Q, Datt C, Harth K, Harting J, Snoeijer JH (2020)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2020
Journal
Book Volume: 124
Article Number: 194502
Journal Issue: 19
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.194502
Abstract
A basic feature of liquid drops is that they can merge upon contact to form a larger drop. In spite of its importance to various applications, drop coalescence on prewetted substrates has received little attention. Here, we experimentally and theoretically reveal the dynamics of drop coalescence on a thick layer of a low viscosity liquid. It is shown that these so-called "liquid lenses" merge by the self-similar vertical growth of a bridge connecting the two lenses. Using a slender analysis, we derive similarity solutions corresponding to the viscous and inertial limits. Excellent agreement is found with the experiments without any adjustable parameters, capturing both the spatial and temporal structures of the flow during coalescence. Finally, we consider the crossover between the two regimes and show that all data of different lens viscosities collapse on a single curve capturing the full range of the coalescence dynamics.
Involved external institutions
University of Twente
Netherlands (NL)
Eindhoven University of Technology / Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e)
Netherlands (NL)
Netherlands (NL)
Eindhoven University of Technology / Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (TU/e)
Netherlands (NL)
How to cite
APA:
Hack, M.A., Tewes, W., Xie, Q., Datt, C., Harth, K., Harting, J., & Snoeijer, J.H. (2020). Self-Similar Liquid Lens Coalescence. Physical Review Letters, 124(19). https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.124.194502
MLA:
Hack, Michiel A., et al. "Self-Similar Liquid Lens Coalescence." Physical Review Letters 124.19 (2020).
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