Spreading Dynamics of Nanodrops: A Lattice Boltzmann Study

Abstract

Spreading of nano-droplets is an interesting and technologically relevant phenomenon where thermal fluctuations lead to unexpected deviations from well-known deterministic laws. Here, we apply the newly developed fluctuating non-ideal lattice Boltzmann method [Gross et al., J. Stat. Mech., P03030 (2011)] for the study of this issue. Confirming the predictions of Davidovich and coworkers [PRL 95, 244905 (2005)], we provide the first independent evidence for the existence of an asymptotic, self-similar noise-driven spreading regime in both two- and three-dimensional geometry. The cross over from the deterministic Tanner's law, where the drop's base radius $b$ grows (in 3D) with time as $b\sim t^{1/10}$ and the noise dominated regime where $b\sim t^{1/6}$ is also observed by tuning the strength of thermal noise.

5 pages

References in corpus (3)

• Thermal noise influences fluid flow in thin films during spinodal dewetting
• Thermal fluctuations in the lattice Boltzmann method for non-ideal fluids
• Langevin theory of fluctuations in the discrete Boltzmann equation

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Modeling Multi-phase Flow using Fluctuating Hydrodynamics
• Moving contact line dynamics: from diffuse to sharp interfaces
• Effects of thermal fluctuations in the fragmentation of a nano-ligament
• Thermal fluctuations of an interface near a contact line