A Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Model for Nanoscale Surfactant-laden Interfaces

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Bell, John B., Nonaka, Andrew, Garcia, Alejandro L.
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Bell, John B.
Nonaka, Andrew
Garcia, Alejandro L.
author_facet Bell, John B.
Nonaka, Andrew
Garcia, Alejandro L.
contents A multispecies diffuse interface model is formulated in a fluctuating hydrodynamics framework for the purpose of simulating surfactant interfaces at the nanoscale. The model generalizes previous work to ternary mixtures, employing a Cahn-Hilliard free energy density combined with incompressible, isothermal fluctuating hydrodynamics where dissipative fluxes include both deterministic and stochastic terms. The intermolecular parameters in the free energy are chosen such that one species acts as a partially miscible surfactant. From Laplace pressure measurements we show that in this model the surface tension decreases linearly with surfactant concentration, leading to Marangoni convection for interfaces with concentration gradients. In the capillary wave spectrum for interfaces with and without surfactant we find that for the former the spectrum deviates significantly from classical capillary wave theory, presumably due to Gibbs elasticity. In non-equilibrium simulations of the Rayleigh-Plateau instability, deterministic simulations showed that the surfactant delays pinching of a fluid cylinder into droplets. However, stochastic simulations indicate that thermal fluctuations disrupt the surfactant's stabilizing effect. Similarly, the spreading of a patch of surfactant, driven by Marangoni convection, was found to be partially suppressed by thermal fluctuations.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_16820
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle A Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Model for Nanoscale Surfactant-laden Interfaces
Bell, John B.
Nonaka, Andrew
Garcia, Alejandro L.
Fluid Dynamics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
A multispecies diffuse interface model is formulated in a fluctuating hydrodynamics framework for the purpose of simulating surfactant interfaces at the nanoscale. The model generalizes previous work to ternary mixtures, employing a Cahn-Hilliard free energy density combined with incompressible, isothermal fluctuating hydrodynamics where dissipative fluxes include both deterministic and stochastic terms. The intermolecular parameters in the free energy are chosen such that one species acts as a partially miscible surfactant. From Laplace pressure measurements we show that in this model the surface tension decreases linearly with surfactant concentration, leading to Marangoni convection for interfaces with concentration gradients. In the capillary wave spectrum for interfaces with and without surfactant we find that for the former the spectrum deviates significantly from classical capillary wave theory, presumably due to Gibbs elasticity. In non-equilibrium simulations of the Rayleigh-Plateau instability, deterministic simulations showed that the surfactant delays pinching of a fluid cylinder into droplets. However, stochastic simulations indicate that thermal fluctuations disrupt the surfactant's stabilizing effect. Similarly, the spreading of a patch of surfactant, driven by Marangoni convection, was found to be partially suppressed by thermal fluctuations.
title A Fluctuating Hydrodynamics Model for Nanoscale Surfactant-laden Interfaces
topic Fluid Dynamics
Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.16820