Spin coating of capillary tubes

We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical study of the spin coating of the inner surface of capillary tubes with viscous liquids, and the modified Rayleigh–Plateau instability that arises when the spinning stops. We show that during the spin coating, the thinning of the film...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of fluid mechanics Vol. 886
Main Authors Primkulov, B. K., Pahlavan, A. A., Bourouiba, L., Bush, J. W. M., Juanes, R.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge Cambridge University Press 10.03.2020
Subjects
Capillary tubes
Centrifugal force
Coatings
Experiments
Film thickness
Fluid mechanics
Liquids
Oil recovery
Polymers
Scaling
Spin coating
Velocity
Viscosity
Wettability
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical study of the spin coating of the inner surface of capillary tubes with viscous liquids, and the modified Rayleigh–Plateau instability that arises when the spinning stops. We show that during the spin coating, the thinning of the film is governed by the balance of viscous and centrifugal forces, resulting in the film thickness scaling as $h\sim t^{-1/2}$ . We demonstrate that the method enables us to reach uniform micrometre-scale films on the tube walls. Finally, we discuss potential applications with curable polymers that enable precise control of film geometry and wettability.
ISSN:0022-1120
1469-7645
DOI:10.1017/jfm.2019.1072