In microscale flows, as encountered in microfluidic applications such as inkjet printing, surface energy plays a key part in determining what happens. Surface tension, the balance between cohesive and adhesive forces at a liquid vapour interface, is the main fluid property that controls the outcome of this surface energy interaction. The value of surface tension of a given fluid is controlled by the nature of the chemical that is present at the surface of the liquid. For advanced applications of complex fluids in microscale flows, it is often necessary to understand how this value of surface tension varies over short timescales as controlled by the speed with which certain chemicals within the fluid can diffuse to the fluid surface.
Current measurement techniques for measuring this short time variation of surface tension (or dynamic surface tension) are expensive and therefore suitable fluid characterisation is limited to a small number of laboratories. This project will investigate the feasability of building a suitable test platform to measure the dynamic surface tension of fluids using easily available components and parts, with the aim to reduce the associated cost of measurement.
Undergraduate
None
Mechatronics Design & Build (201.553, Lab)