Dynamics of a thin liquid film with surface rigidity and spontaneous curvature

TL;DR

This paper investigates how surface rigidity and spontaneous curvature influence the dynamics of thin liquid films, revealing new instabilities and effects on droplet shapes through modified evolution equations.

Contribution

It introduces the impact of Helfrich energy on thin film dynamics, showing how surface rigidity and spontaneous curvature lead to novel behaviors not previously described.

Findings

Rigid surfaces induce finite wavelength instabilities.

Surface properties affect droplet shape and stability.

Additional terms in evolution equations alter film dynamics.

Abstract

The effect of rigid surfaces on the dynamics of thin liquid films which are amenable to the lubrication approximation is considered. It is shown that the Helfrich energy of the layer gives rise to additional terms in the time-evolution equations of the liquid film. The dynamics is found to depend on the absolute value of the spontaneous curvature, irrespective of its sign. Due to the additional terms, a novel finite wavelength instability of flat rigid interfaces can be observed. Furthermore, the dependence of the shape of a droplet on the bending rigidity as well as on the spontaneous curvature is discussed.