Analytical Solutions for Partially Wetting Two-Dimensional Droplets

GOMBA, J. M.; HOMSY, G. M.

LANGMUIR

American Chemical Society

Año: 2009 vol. 25 p. 5684 - 5691

0743-7463

We present a new analytical solution for the static shape of a two-dimensional droplet in equilibrium with a surrounding thin film on a solid substrate. The modeling includes the effects of capillarity and disjoining-conjoining pressure accounting for intermolecular forces between the solid and the liquid. We derive new analytical solutions for the shape of the droplet, the cross-sectional area, the half-width, and the maximum curvature and inflection points. We study the effects of the size of the droplet on the apparent contact angle. The shape of the droplet in the contact line region is compared with profiles obtained by employing approximations suggested in the literature, and the observed differences are discussed. Finally, we present the time evolution to the steady state to show how the whole profile, including the thin film, evolves to the corresponding stationary configuration.