Crystal growth at a liquid-liquid interface upon drop impact

TL;DR

This study investigates the dynamics of crystal formation at a liquid-liquid interface during drop impact, combining experimental observations with a model based on thermal shock effects to understand crystal growth behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a new model for crystal growth at a liquid-liquid interface during drop impact, supported by experimental validation and dimensionless analysis.

Findings

Crystals form at a constant rate influenced by thermal shock.

The model accurately predicts the number and surface area of crystals.

Experimental data aligns with the theoretical dimensionless curves.

Abstract

The crystallisation that occurs when a drop is placed in contact with a cold surface is a particularly challenging phenomenon to capture experimentally and describe theoretically. The situation of a liquid-liquid interface, where crystals appear on a mobile interface is scarcely studied although it provides a defect-free interface. In this paper, we quantify the dynamics of crystals appearing upon the impact of a drop on a cool liquid bath. We rationalize our observations with a model considering that crystals appear at a constant rate depending on the thermal shock on the expanding interface. This model provides dimensionless curves on the number and the surface area of crystals that we compare to our experimental measurements.