Topological changes in a two-dimensional foam cluster

Cox, S.J., Vaz, M.F. and Weaire, D. (2003) Topological changes in a two-dimensional foam cluster. The European Physical Journal E - Soft Matter . 11:29-35.

Experiments on a small cluster of bubbles in a nominally two-dimensional foam show an instability in which a topological change forces one of the bubbles to be ejected to the outside of the cluster at ap oint where this is not predicted by at wo-dimensional model of afoa m. This is interpreted in terms of the energy of the initial and ejected states and of the finite liquid content of the experimental system. A description of the distribution of liquid in various experimental set-ups suggests that the exact response may depend critically upon the type of system used. This is demonstrated experimentally with reference to small clusters of bubbles undergoing a single topological change.

Peer reviewed