English

2D to 3D transition in soap films demonstrated by microrheology

Soft Condensed Matter 2009-05-09 v2 Other Condensed Matter

Abstract

We follow the diffusive motion of colloidal particles of diameter dd in soap films of varying thickness hh with fluorescence microscopy. Diffusion constants are obtained both from one- and two-particle microrheological measurements of particle motion in these films. These diffusion constants are related to the surface viscosity of the interfaces comprising the soap films, by means of the Trapeznikov approximation [A. A. Trapeznikov, \emph{PICSA} (1957)] and Saffman's equation for diffusion in a 2D fluid. Unphysical values of the surface viscosity are found for thick soap films (h/d>7h/d > 7), indicating a transition from 2D to 3D behavior.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.0807.4751,
  title  = {2D to 3D transition in soap films demonstrated by microrheology},
  author = {V. Prasad and Eric R. Weeks},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:0807.4751},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

5 pages, 4 figures, resubmitted to PRL

R2 v1 2026-06-21T11:05:38.862Z