Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A maximum speed of wetting

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

The wetting (or dewetting) of a solid by a liquid is an integral part of many important processes such as coating, petroleum recovery, distillation and the handling of liquid fuels in low gravity conditions. Several experiments1–4 have shown that wetting lines (where liquid, air and solid phases meet) which are straight at slow rates of movement over the solid have a sawtooth shape at sufficiently high speeds. We now offer a quantitative explanation for this phenomenon based on the postulate that, for a given system, there is a maximum rate at which wetting can proceed. The consequences of this interpretation are likely to be important, since, in many practical situations, the aim is to maximise the speed of wetting without entraining the displaced phase.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Deryagin, B. V. & Levi, S. M. Film Coating Theory 140–143 (Focal, London, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Perry, R. T. thesis, Univ. Minnesota (1967).

  3. Burley, R. & Kennedy, B. S. Chem. Engng Sci. 31, 901–911 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Wilkinson, W. L. Chem. Engng Sci. 30, 1227–1230 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Blake, T. D. thesis, Univ. Bristol (1968).

  6. Blake, T. D. & Haynes, J. M. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 30, 421–423 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Glasstone, S., Laidler, K. J. & Eyring, H. The Theory of Rate Processes (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1941).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Laboratories, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, New York, 14650

    T. D. Blake & K. J. Ruschak

Authors
  1. T. D. Blake
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. J. Ruschak
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Blake, T., Ruschak, K. A maximum speed of wetting. Nature 282, 489–491 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/282489a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/282489a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation