Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 222, 31-38 (2013)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2013-01823-2

Regular Article

Generalized surface momentum balances for the analysis of surface dilatational data

¹ Food Physics Group, Wageningen University, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD Wageningen, The Netherlands
² Polymer Physics, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Str. 10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland

^a e-mail: leonard.sagis@wur.nl

Received: 16 April 2013
Revised: 23 April 2013
Published online: 17 June 2013

Abstract

Dilatational rheological properties of interfaces are often determined using drop tensiometers, in which the interface of the droplet is subjected to oscillatory area changes. A dynamic surface tension is determined either by image analysis of the droplet profile or by measuring the capillary pressure. Both analysis modes tend to use the Young-Laplace equation for determining the dynamic surface tension. For complex fluid-fluid interfaces there is experimental evidence that this equation does not describe the response of the interface to deformations adequately. Generalizations of this equation are available, and in this comment we will discuss these generalizations, and the conditions for which they reduce to the Young-Laplace equation.