Capillary levelling of free-standing liquid nanofilms
Mark Ilton, Miles M. P. Couchman, Cedric Gerbelot, Michael Benzaquen,, Paul D. Fowler, Howard A. Stone, Elie Rapha\"el, Kari Dalnoki-Veress, and, Thomas Salez
TL;DR
This study investigates how free-standing liquid nanofilms smooth out surface irregularities over time due to capillary forces, providing insights into interfacial liquid rheology without substrate interference.
Contribution
It introduces a hydrodynamic model that accurately describes capillary levelling in free-standing nanofilms, highlighting their use as precise probes for interfacial rheology.
Findings
Surface profile width evolves as the square root of time.
Hydrodynamic model matches experimental data well.
System acts as a nanoprobe for interfacial rheology.
Abstract
We report on the capillary-driven levelling of a topographical perturbation at the surface of a free-standing liquid nanofilm. The width of a stepped surface profile is found to evolve as the square root of time. The hydrodynamic model is in excellent agreement with the experimental data. In addition to exhibiting an analogy with diffusive processes, this novel system serves as a precise nanoprobe for the rheology of liquids at interfaces in a configuration that avoids substrate effects.
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