Young's equation revisited

Lasse Makkonen

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

    19 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Young's construction for a contact angle at a three-phase intersection forms the basis of all fields of science that involve wetting and capillary action. We find compelling evidence from recent experimental results on the deformation of a soft solid at the contact line, and displacement of an elastic wire immersed in a liquid, that Young's equation can only be interpreted by surface energies, and not as a balance of surface tensions. It follows that the a priori variable in finding equilibrium is not the position of the contact line, but the contact angle. This finding provides the explanation for the pinning of a contact line.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number135001
    JournalJournal of Physics: Condensed Matter
    Volume28
    Issue number13
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2016
    MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

    Fingerprint

    Contact angle
    Interfacial energy
    Contacts (fluid mechanics)
    intersections
    wetting
    surface energy
    Surface tension
    Wetting
    interfacial tension
    wire
    Wire
    Liquids
    liquids

    Keywords

    • surface tension
    • surface energy
    • Young's equation
    • pinning
    • wetting

    Cite this

    Makkonen, Lasse. / Young's equation revisited. In: Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. 2016 ; Vol. 28, No. 13.
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    abstract = "Young's construction for a contact angle at a three-phase intersection forms the basis of all fields of science that involve wetting and capillary action. We find compelling evidence from recent experimental results on the deformation of a soft solid at the contact line, and displacement of an elastic wire immersed in a liquid, that Young's equation can only be interpreted by surface energies, and not as a balance of surface tensions. It follows that the a priori variable in finding equilibrium is not the position of the contact line, but the contact angle. This finding provides the explanation for the pinning of a contact line.",
    keywords = "surface tension, surface energy, Young's equation, pinning, wetting",
    author = "Lasse Makkonen",
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    language = "English",
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    Makkonen, L 2016, 'Young's equation revisited', Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, vol. 28, no. 13, 135001. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/28/13/135001

    Young's equation revisited. / Makkonen, Lasse.

    In: Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, Vol. 28, No. 13, 135001, 2016.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

    TY - JOUR

    T1 - Young's equation revisited

    AU - Makkonen, Lasse

    PY - 2016

    Y1 - 2016

    N2 - Young's construction for a contact angle at a three-phase intersection forms the basis of all fields of science that involve wetting and capillary action. We find compelling evidence from recent experimental results on the deformation of a soft solid at the contact line, and displacement of an elastic wire immersed in a liquid, that Young's equation can only be interpreted by surface energies, and not as a balance of surface tensions. It follows that the a priori variable in finding equilibrium is not the position of the contact line, but the contact angle. This finding provides the explanation for the pinning of a contact line.

    AB - Young's construction for a contact angle at a three-phase intersection forms the basis of all fields of science that involve wetting and capillary action. We find compelling evidence from recent experimental results on the deformation of a soft solid at the contact line, and displacement of an elastic wire immersed in a liquid, that Young's equation can only be interpreted by surface energies, and not as a balance of surface tensions. It follows that the a priori variable in finding equilibrium is not the position of the contact line, but the contact angle. This finding provides the explanation for the pinning of a contact line.

    KW - surface tension

    KW - surface energy

    KW - Young's equation

    KW - pinning

    KW - wetting

    U2 - 10.1088/0953-8984/28/13/135001

    DO - 10.1088/0953-8984/28/13/135001

    M3 - Article

    VL - 28

    JO - Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

    JF - Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter

    SN - 0953-8984

    IS - 13

    M1 - 135001

    ER -

    Makkonen L. Young's equation revisited. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. 2016;28(13). 135001. https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-8984/28/13/135001

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