Test of the stability of a three-phase contact line with negative line tension.

Giessen, Alan E. Van; Bukman, Dirk Jan; Widom, B.

The equilibrium structure of a three-phase contact line with negative line tension using a mean-field free-energy functional is calculated in the square-gradient approximation. The equilibrium density profiles are found by solving the Euler-Lagrange equations on a square grid of N2 points covering an area of L2. The fluctuations about the equilibrium structure are analysed via the spectrum of the free energy's second functional derivative. The equilibrium configuration is found to be stable with respect to fluctuations in the structure of the threephase line and of the interfaces that meet at this line. In addition, the behaviour is investigated numerically of the lowest eigenvalue as the area of the grid is increased. The lowest eigenvalue is always positive and vanishes as 1/L2.

LINE geometry; LINEAR free energy relationship

Molecular Physics, 1999, Vol 96, Issue 9, p1335

0026-8976

Academic Journal

10.1080/002689799164568