Surface tension of bulky colloids, capillarity under gravity and the microscopic origin of the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation

Abstract

Experimental measurements of the surface tension of colloidal interfaces have long been in conflict with computer simulations. In this work we show that the surface tension of colloids as measured by surface fluctuations picks up a gravity dependent contribution which removes the discrepancy. The presence of this term puts a strong constraint on the structure of the interface which allows one to identify corrections to the fundamental equation of equilibrium capillarity and deduce bottom-up the microscopic origin of a growth model with close relation to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation.

6 pages, two figures, one table + updated supplemental material

References in corpus (4)

• Tension and stiffness of the hard sphere crystal-fluid interface
• The equilibrium intrinsic crystal-liquid interface of colloids
• Thin film evolution equations from (evaporating) dewetting liquid layers to epitaxial growth
• Films, layers and droplets: The effect of near-wall fluid structure on spreading dynamics

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Colloidal Hard Spheres: Triumphs, Challenges and Mysteries