Contact angle of a hemispherical bubble: An analytical approach

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2009

Authors

Teixeira, MAC (Author) Other; Teixeira, PIC (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

Vol. 338

Pages: 193-200

ISSN: 0021-9797

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 7 Citations

Scopus - 6 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-003-FED

DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2009.05.062

Abstract (EN): We have calculated the equilibrium shape of the axially symmetric Plateau border along which a spherical bubble contacts a flat wall, by analytically integrating Laplace's equation in the presence of gravity, in the limit of small Plateau border sizes. This method has the advantage that it provides closed-form expressions for the positions and orientations of the Plateau border surfaces. Results are in very good overall agreement with those obtained from a numerical solution procedure, and are consistent with experimental data. In particular we find that the effect of gravity on Plateau border shape is relatively small for typical bubble sizes, leading to a widening of the Plateau border for sessile bubbles and to a narrowing for pendant bubbles. The contact angle of the bubble is found to depend even more weakly on gravity.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 8