Equilibrium and nonequilibrium fluctuations at the interface between two fluid phases
Statistical Mechanics
2009-10-31 v1 Soft Condensed Matter
Abstract
We have performed small-angle light-scattering measurements of the static structure factor of a critical binary mixture undergoing diffusive partial remixing. An uncommon scattering geometry integrates the structure factor over the sample thickness, allowing different regions of the concentration profile to be probed simultaneously. Our experiment shows the existence of interface capillary waves throughout the macroscopic evolution to an equilibrium interface, and allows to derive the time evolution of surface tension. Interfacial properties are shown to attain their equilibrium values quickly compared to the system's macroscopic equilibration time.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0002303,
title = {Equilibrium and nonequilibrium fluctuations at the interface between two fluid phases},
author = {Pietro Cicuta and Alberto Vailati and Marzio Giglio},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0002303},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
10 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PRE