Coalescence in low-viscosity liquids

The expected universal dynamics associated with the initial stage of droplet coalescence are difficult to study visually due to the rapid motion of the liquid and the awkward viewing geometry. Here we employ an electrical method to study the coalescence of two inviscid droplets at early times. We measure the growth dynamics of the bridge connecting the two droplets and observe a new asymptotic regime inconsistent with previous theoretical predictions. The measurements are consistent with a model in which the two liquids coalesce with a slightly deformed interface.Comment: 4 pages and 4 figure

Thermodynamic behaviour and structural properties of an aqueous sodium chloride solution upon supercooling

We present the results of a molecular dynamics simulation study of thermodynamic and structural properties upon supercooling of a low concentration sodium chloride solution in TIP4P water and the comparison with the corresponding bulk quantities. We study the isotherms and the isochores for both the aqueous solution and bulk water. The comparison of the phase diagrams shows that thermodynamic properties of the solution are not merely shifted with respect to the bulk. Moreover, from the analysis of the thermodynamic curves, both the spinodal line and the temperatures of maximum density curve can be calculated. The spinodal line appears not to be influenced by the presence of ions at the chosen concentration, while the temperatures of maximum density curve displays both a mild shift in temperature and a shape modification with respect to bulk. Signatures of the presence of a liquid-liquid critical point are found in the aqueous solution. By analysing the water-ion radial distribution functions of the aqueous solution we observe that upon changing density, structural modifications appear close to the spinodal. For low temperatures additional modifications appear also for densities close to that corresponding to a low density configurational energy minimum.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables. To be published in J. Chem. Phy

Porous silicon formation and electropolishing

Electrochemical etching of silicon in hydrofluoride containing electrolytes leads to pore formation for low and to electropolishing for high applied current. The transition between pore formation and polishing is accompanied by a change of the valence of the electrochemical dissolution reaction. The local etching rate at the interface between the semiconductor and the electrolyte is determined by the local current density. We model the transport of reactants and reaction products and thus the current density in both, the semiconductor and the electrolyte. Basic features of the chemical reaction at the interface are summarized in law of mass action type boundary conditions for the transport equations at the interface. We investigate the linear stability of a planar and flat interface. Upon increasing the current density the stability flips either through a change of the valence of the dissolution reaction or by a nonlinear boundary conditions at the interface.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure

Reaction-Diffusion Processes with Nonlinear Diffusion

We study reaction-diffusion processes with concentration-dependent diffusivity. First, we determine the decay of the concentration in the single-species and two-species diffusion-controlled annihilation processes. We then consider two natural inhomogeneous realizations. The two-species annihilation process is investigated in the situation when the reactants are initially separated, namely each species occupies a half space. In particular, we determine the growth law of the width of the reaction zone. The single-species annihilation process is studied in the situation when the spatially localized source drives the system toward the non-equilibrium steady state. Finally we investigate a dissolution process with a localized source of diffusing atoms which react with initially present immobile atoms forming immobile molecules.Comment: Figure and references added, final versio

Interfacial electron transfer as a significant step in photoelectrochemical reactions on some semiconductors

Photoelectrochemical kinetics at the semiconductor-solution interface has been considered in all treatments in the literature, except one, to be rate controlled by processes inside the semiconductor. Evidence is presented which suggest that, at least for cathodic reactions on p-CdTe, the rate determining step is interfacial electron transfer, and a part of the total potential difference at the interface exists in the Helmholtz layer. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American Institute of Physics