Influence of surfactant solubility on the deformation and breakup of a bubble or capillary jet in a viscous fluid

In a previous study [M. Hameed, J. Fluid Mech. 594, 307 (2008)] the authors investigated the influence of insoluble surfactant on the evolution of a stretched, inviscid bubble surrounded by a viscous fluid via direct numerical simulation of the Navier-Stokes equations, and showed that the presence of surfactant can cause the bubble to contract and form a quasisteady slender thread connecting parent bubbles, instead of proceeding directly toward pinch-off as occurs for a surfactant-free bubble. Insoluble surfactant significantly retards pinch-off and the thread is stabilized by a balance between internal pressure and reduced capillary pressure due to a high concentration of surfactant that develops during the initial stage of contraction. In the present study we investigate the influence of surfactant solubility on thread formation. The adsorption-desorption kinetics for solubility is in the diffusion controlled regime. A long-wave model for the evolution of a capillary jet is also studied in the Stokes flow limit, and shows dynamics that are similar to those of the evolving bubble. With soluble surfactant, depending on parameter values, a slender thread forms but can pinch-off later due to exchange of surfactant between the interface and exterior bulk flow. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Mechanics of capillary forming of aligned carbon nanotube assemblies.

Elastocapillary self-assembly is emerging as a versatile technique to manufacture three-dimensional (3D) microstructures and complex surface textures from arrangements of micro- and nanoscale filaments. Understanding the mechanics of capillary self-assembly is essential to engineering of properties such as shape-directed actuation, anisotropic wetting and adhesion, and mechanical energy transfer and dissipation. We study elastocapillary self-assembly (herein called "capillary forming") of carbon nanotube (CNT) microstructures, combining in situ optical imaging, micromechanical testing, and finite element modeling. By imaging, we identify sequential stages of liquid infiltration, evaporation, and solid shrinkage, whose kinetics relate to the size and shape of the CNT microstructure. We couple these observations with measurements of the orthotropic elastic moduli of CNT forests to understand how the dynamic of shrinkage of the vapor-liquid interface is coupled to the compression of the forest. We compare the kinetics of shrinkage to the rate of evporation from liquid droplets having the same size and geometry. Moreover, we show that the amount of shrinkage during evaporation is governed by the ability of the CNTs to slip against one another, which can be manipulated by the deposition of thin conformal coatings on the CNTs by atomic layer deposition (ALD). This insight is confirmed by finite element modeling of pairs of CNTs as corrugated beams in contact and highlights the coupled role of elasticity and friction in shrinkage and stability of nanoporous solids. Overall, this study shows that nanoscale porosity can be tailored via the filament density and adhesion at contact points, which is important to the development of lightweight multifunctional materials.

Capillary bending of Janus carbon nanotube micropillars.

We present a scalable process for the fabrication of slanted carbon nanotube micropillar arrays by inclined metal deposition and capillary self-assembly. Local control of the micropillar angle from vertical to nearly horizontal is achieved, and is explained using a finite element model. These structures may be useful for microscale contacts and anisotropic smart surfaces.

Structurally programmed capillary folding of carbon nanotube assemblies.

We demonstrate the fabrication of horizontally aligned carbon nanotube (HA-CNT) networks by spatially programmable folding, which is induced by self-directed liquid infiltration of vertical CNTs. Folding is caused by a capillary buckling instability and is predicted by the elastocapillary buckling height, which scales with the wall thickness as t(3/2). The folding direction is controlled by incorporating folding initiators at the ends of the CNT walls, and the initiators cause a tilt during densification which precedes buckling. By patterning these initiators and specifying the wall geometry, we control the dimensions of HA-CNT patches over 2 orders of magnitude and realize multilayered and multidirectional assemblies. Multidirectional HA-CNT patterns are building blocks for custom design of nanotextured surfaces and flexible circuits.

Diverse 3D microarchitectures made by capillary forming of carbon nanotubes.

A new technology called capillary forming enables transformation of vertically aligned nanoscale filaments into complex three-dimensional microarchitectures. We demonstrate capillary forming of carbon nanotubes into diverse forms having intricate bends, twists, and multidirectional textures. In addition to their novel geometries, these structures have mechanical stiffness exceeding that of microfabrication polymers, and can be used as masters for replica molding

Influence of insoluble surfactant on the deformation and breakup of a bubble or thread in a viscous fluid

The influence of surfactant on the breakup of a prestretched bubble in a quiescent viscous surrounding is studied by a combination of direct numerical simulation and the solution of a long-wave asymptotic model. The direct numerical simulations describe the evolution toward breakup of an inviscid bubble, while the effects of small but non-zero interior viscosity are readily included in the long-wave model for a fluid thread in the Stokes flow limit. The direct numerical simulations use a specific but realizable and representative initial bubble shape to compare the evolution toward breakup of a clean or surfactant-free bubble and a bubble that is coated with insoluble surfactant. A distinguishing feature of the evolution in the presence of surfactant is the interruption of bubble breakup by formation of a slender quasi-steady thread of the interior fluid. This forms because the decrease in surface area causes a decrease in the surface tension and capillary pressure, until at a small but non-zero radius, equilibrium occurs between the capillary pressure and interior fluid pressure. The long-wave asymptotic model, for a thread with periodic boundary conditions, explains the principal mechanism of the slender thread's formation and confirms, for example, the relatively minor role played by the Marangoni stress. The large-time evolution of the slender thread and the precise location of its breakup are, however, influenced by effects such as the Marangoni stress and surface diffusion of surfactant. © 2008 Cambridge University Press.

Microfabrication and application of reservoir pins for liquid transfer in biotechnology

Microarraying involves laying down genetic elements onto a solid substrate for DNA analysis on a massively parallel scale. Microarrays are prepared using a pin-based robotic platform to transfer liquid samples from microtitre plates to an array pattern of dots of different liquids on the surface of glass slides where they dry to form spots diameter < 200 μm. This paper presents the design, materials selection, micromachining technology and performance of reservoir pins for microarraying. A conical pin is produced by (i) conventional machining of stainless steel or wet etching of tungsten wire, followed by (ii) micromachining with a focused laser to produce a microreservoir and a capillary channel structure leading from the tip. The pin has a flat end diameter < 100 μm from which a 500 μm long capillary channel < 15 μm wide leads up the pin to a reservoir. Scanning electron micrographs of the metal surface show roughness on the scale of 10 μm, but the pins nevertheless give consistent and reproducible spotting performance. The pin capacity is 80 nanolitres of fluid containing DNA, and at least 50 spots can be printed before replenishing the reservoir. A typical robot holds can hold up to 64 pins. This paper discusses the fabrication technology, the performance and spotting uniformity for reservoir pins, the possible limits to miniaturization of pins using this approach, and the future prospects for contact and non-contact arraying technology.

Coupled deformation-flow analysis for methane hydrate production by depressurized wells

A formulation for coupled flow-deformation analysis of methane-hydrate extraction problems is presented. By assuming that the hydrate does not flow, a two phase flow formulation is considered, based on Darcy's law and capillary pressure relation. The formulation is implemented in the finite difference code FLAC. The code was used to investigate the stability of a methane extraction well by depressurizing the well. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, London.

Patterning method to create a mask

A method of creating micro patterned devices by patterning thin films which are deposited on a substrate. A channel or channels is created on the substrate, the width being of fine enough resolution such that a flowable mask material can be drawn along the channel by capillary forces

Method of etching

A method of creating micro patterned devices by patterning thin films which are deposited on a substrate. A channel or channels is created on the substrate, the width being of fine enough resolution such that a flowable mask material can be drawn along the channel by capillary forces.