MECHANICS AND THERMODYNAMICS OF INTERFACES, THIN LIQUID FILMS AND MEMBRANE

Abstract

First we review some recent studies devoted to the role of surface moments (torques) in the mechanics and thermodynamics of fluid interfaces of arbitrary shape. The presence of bending and torsion moments leads to a difference between the mechanical and thermodynamical surface tensions and shear stresses. Next we review recent results in the mechanics of thin liquid films and the transition region film-Plateau border. Line and transversal tensions are assigned as excesses on the contact line. The transversal tension accounts for the attractive forces in the transition zone. Experiments with floating bubbles show that the movement of the contact line can lead to non-equilibrium values of the line tension, which can be interpreted in terms of a plastic deformation.