MS5L_12651:Mon:1740:315
XXI International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
Warsaw, Poland, August 15-21, 2004

Recent Advances in Permanent Noncoalescence and Nonwetting

G. Paul Neitzel (1), Pasquale Dell'Aversana (2), Peter Nagy (1), Maria-Isabel Carnasciali (1)
1. Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, USA
2. Microgravity Advanced Research and Support Center, Naples, Italy


Permanent noncoalescence between two drops of the same liquid or nonwetting between a liquid and a surface normally wetted by it have been the subject of study for the past several years. Such behavior may be driven through the use of thermocapillarity or relative tangential-surface motion. Potential applications range from frictionless mounts and vibration dampers for microgravity experimental packages to frictionless bearings in low-load terrestrial applications. Recent research has focused on the characterization of failure modes and mechanisms in these systems, knowledge of which is crucial for a successful application, and on the measurement of frictional forces associated with sliding, isothermal nonwetting droplets. The presentation will provide an overview of the subject and a discussion of recently obtained results.



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