Young's equation revisited. (4th March 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Makkonen, Lasse
• Is Part Of: Journal of physics. Volume 28:Number 13(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-03-04
• Subjects: surface tension -- surface energy -- Young's equation -- pinning -- wetting; Condensed matter -- Periodicals; Matière condensée -- Périodiques; Vaste stoffen; Vloeistoffen; Natuurkunde; Electronic journals; Computer network resources; 530.4105
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/28/13/135001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0953-8984

Abstract

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.