Stokes theory of thin-film rupture

Abstract

The structure of the flow induced by the van der Waals destabilization of a non-wetting liquid film placed on a solid substrate is unraveled by means of theory and numerical simulations of the Stokes equations. Our analysis reveals that lubrication theory, which yields $h_{\text{min}}\propto {\tau }^{1/5}$ where $h_{\text{min}}$ is the minimum film thickness and $\tau$ is the time until breakup, cannot be used to describe the local flow close to rupture. Instead, the slender lubrication solution is shown to experience a crossover to a universal self-similar solution of the Stokes equations that yields $h_{\text{min}}\propto {\tau }^{1/3}$, with an opening angle of $37^{\circ }$ off the solid.

arXiv comment12 pages, 7 figures

References in corpus (6)

• Dynamics of nanojets
• Alternative pathways of dewetting for a thin two-layer film of soft matter
• Spreading of thin films assisted by thermal fluctuations
• Thermal noise influences fluid flow in thin films during spinodal dewetting
• The break-up of free films pulled out of a pure liquid bath
• Inertial and dimensional effects on the instability of a thin film

Cited by in corpus (8)

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• Dewetting dynamics of sheared thin polymer films: an experimental study
• Life and Death of a Thin Liquid Film
• Instability and rupture of sheared viscous liquid nanofilms
• Practical Insights to Thin Film Dewetting
• The influence of an outer bath on the dewetting of an ultrathin liquid film