Non-axisymmetric modes in ultrathin annular liquid films coating a cylindrical fiber Articles uri icon

publication date

  • December 2023

start page

  • 1

end page

  • 20

issue

  • 12, 122114

volume

  • 35

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 1070-6631

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1089-7666

abstract

  • This paper presents a detailed analysis of the three-dimensional stability properties of an annular liquid film coating a cylindrical fiber in the presence of van der Waals (vdW) interactions, whose influence depends on the wettability of the solid by the liquid. Under wetting conditions, vdW interactions can stabilize a uniform annular film when its thickness is smaller than a critical value that depends only on the fiber radius, the Hamaker constant, and the surface tension coefficient [Quéré et al., Science 249(4974), 1256–1260 (1990)]. In contrast, under non-wetting conditions, both surface tension and vdW forces contribute to destabilize the interface, and non-axisymmetric modes may become dominant depending on the thickness of the film and the relative strength of the surface tension and vdW forces. We perform temporal stability analyses of both the Stokes and lubrication equations of motion, allowing us to reveal the dominant azimuthal mode, as well as the optimal axial wavenumber and the corresponding temporal growth rate, as a function of the relevant governing parameters.

subjects

  • Industrial Engineering
  • Materials science and engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Physics

keywords

  • linear stability analysis; thin films; intermolecular forces; van der waals forces; lubrication flows