Imaging of droplet profiles during drainage of a film between a droplet and an interface

Abstract

We have applied imaging ellipsometrylreflectometry to the study of coalescence phenomena. Specifically, we have shown that film drainage between a deformable oil droplet and a solid surface can be monitored using imaging ellipsometrylreflectometry which yields the real time profile of a droplet as film drainage occurs, on approach of the droplet to an interface. The technique has the advantages that it is sensitive to the measurement of both thick and thin films and yields a film profile without the need to scan across the surface. We have profiled the shape of an oil droplet in a continuous aqueous phase as the droplet approached a silica surface. During film drainage the droplet was observ..