- Physical Review Journals
All JournalsPhysics Magazine
Access Provided by Xinjiang University

Physical Review Fluids

Export citation

Export citation

Choose format for download:

Download Citation
  • Access by Xinjiang University

Impact and lifecycle of superfluid helium drops on a solid surface

Matthew L. Wallace1, David Mallin1, Michael Milgie1, Andres A. Aguirre-Pablo2, Kenneth R. Langley2, Sigurdur T. Thoroddsen2, and Peter Taborek1

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, USA
  • 2Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

PDF

Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 093602 – Published 10 September, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.5.093602

Abstract

We have used high-speed video and interferometry to investigate the impact, spreading, and eventual contraction of superfluid He4 drops on a sapphire substrate in a saturated atmosphere of helium vapor. We find that the short-term kinetic spreading of superfluid drops (time t<10 ms) is qualitatively similar to both normal helium and conventional fluids at room temperature. In contrast, the contraction phase of the superfluid drops is highly unusual. Superfluid drops survive for only a few seconds on the substrate due to superflow out of the drop into the surrounding helium film. The drop lifetime is strongly dependent on temperature and diverges at the superfluid transition temperature Tλ∼2.17 K. The contracting drops undergo a geometry-dependent two-phase contraction, which includes a toroidal phase where the radius decreases linearly in time and subsequently a spherical cap phase where the radius decreases with the square root of time. The receding contact angle is temperature dependent and becomes small near Tλ. We also observe that the superfluid outflow causes surprising edge effects, including the emergence of satellite droplets on the perimeter of the expanding drop, as well as ragged and frayed drop edges at lower temperatures.

View figure in article

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Article Text

References (33)

  1. C. Josserand and S. T. Thoroddsen, Drop impact on a solid surface, Annu. Rev. Fluid Mech. 48, 365 (2016).
  2. R. Rioboo, M. Marengo, and C. Tropea, Time evolution of liquid drop impact onto solid, dry surfaces, Exp. Fluids 33, 112 (2002).
  3. P. Kavehpour, B. Ovryn, and G. H. McKinley, Evaporatively-driven Marangoni instabilities of volatile liquid films spreading on thermally conductive substrates, Colloid Surf., A 206, 409 (2002).
  4. J. Lopez, C. A. Miller, and E. Ruckenstein, Spreading kinetics of liquid-drops on solids, J. Colloid Interface Sci. 56, 460 (1976).
  5. A. L. Yarin and D. A. Weiss, Impact of drops on solid-surfaces: Self-similar capillary waves, and splashing as a new-type of kinematic discontinuity, J. Fluid Mech. 283, 141 (1995).
  6. J. E. Sprittles and Y. D. Shikhmurzaev, The dynamics of liquid drops and their interaction with solids of varying wettabilities, Phys. Fluids 24, 082001 (2012).
  7. C. Josserand and S. Zaleski, Droplet splashing on a thin liquid film, Phys. Fluids 15, 1650 (2003).
  8. A. B. Wang and C. C. Chen, Splashing impact of a single drop onto very thin liquid films, Phys. Fluids 12, 2155 (2000).
  9. A. B. Aljedaani, C. Wang, A. Jetly, and S. T. Thoroddsen, Experiments on the breakup of drop-impact crowns by Marangoni holes, J. Fluid Mech. 844, 162 (2018).
  10. B. Bennett, A. Shumays, L. Krysac, and J. Maynard, Noise from raindrops: Fundamental studies of bubble entrainment in pure He4, J. Low Temp. Phys. 113, 1073 (1998).
  11. D. F. Chao and N. L. Zhang, Effects of evaporation and thermocapillary convection on volatile liquid droplets, J. Thermophys. Heat Transfer 15, 416 (2001).
  12. S. C. Case and S. R. Nagel, Coalescence in Low-Viscosity Liquids, Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 084503 (2008).
  13. K. G. Winkels, J. H. Weijs, A. Eddi, and J. H. Snoeijer, Initial spreading of low-viscosity drops on partially wetting surfaces, Phys. Rev. E 85, 055301(R) (2012).
  14. P. G. Degennes, Wetting: statics and dynamics, Rev. Mod. Phys. 57, 827 (1985).
  15. A. M. Cazabat and M. A. C. Stuart, Dynamics of wetting: Effects of surface roughness, J. Phys. Chem. 90, 5845 (1986).
  16. D. Bonn, J. Eggers, J. Indekeu, J. Meunier, and E. Rolley, Wetting and spreading, Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 739 (2009).
  17. R. J. Donnelly, R. N. Hills, and P. H. Roberts, Superflow in Restricted Geometries, Phys. Rev. Lett. 42, 725 (1979).
  18. J. F. Joanny, Spreading of superfluid drops, J. Phys. 46, 807 (1985).
  19. E. Cheng, M. W. Cole, J. Dupontroc, W. F. Saam, and J. Treiner, Novel wetting behavior in quantum films, Rev. Mod. Phys. 65, 557 (1993).
  20. J. E. Rutledge and P. Taborek, Prewetting Phase-Diagram of He4 on Cesium, Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 937 (1992).
  21. D. Ross, J. E. Rutledge, and P. Taborek, Superfluid droplets on a solid surface, Science 278, 664 (1997).
  22. J. A. Phillips, P. Taborek, and J. E. Rutledge, Experimental survey of wetting and superfluid onset of He4 on alkali metal surfaces, J. Low Temp. Phys. 113, 829 (1998).
  23. H. Alles, A. V. Babkin, P. J. Hakonen, J. P. Ruutu, J. T. Salojarvi, and J. P. Saramaki, Spreading of superfluid He4 on MgF2, J. Low Temp. Phys. 102, 21 (1996).
  24. R. Luusalo, A. Husmann, J. Kopu, and P. Hakonen, Pseudo-contact angles and pinned vorticity in superfluid He4, Phys. B (Amsterdam, Neth.) 284, 147 (2000).
  25. M. Poujade, C. Guthmann, and E. Rolley, Apparent dewetting due to superfluid flow, Europhys. Lett. 58, 837 (2002).
  26. S. Herminghaus, Can a superfluid droplet spread?, Europhys. Lett. 42, 443 (1998).
  27. N. B. Speirs, K. R. Langley, P. Taborek, and S. T. Thoroddsen, Jet breakup in superfluid and normal liquid He4, Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 044001 (2020).
  28. J. Philippi, P. Y. Lagree, and A. Antkowiak, Drop impact on a solid surface: Short-time self-similarity, J. Fluid Mech. 795, 96 (2016).
  29. G. Riboux and J. M. Gordillo, Experiments of Drops Impacting a Smooth Solid Surface: A Model of the Critical Impact Speed for Drop Splashing, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 024507 (2014).
  30. A. L. Biance, C. Clanet, and D. Quere, First steps in the spreading of a liquid droplet, Phys. Rev. E 69, 016301 (2004).
  31. A. Eddi, K. G. Winkels, and J. H. Snoeijer, Short time dynamics of viscous drop spreading, Phys. Fluids 25, 013102 (2013).
  32. M. R. Davidson, Spreading of an inviscid drop impacting on a liquid film, Chem. Eng. Sci. 57, 3639 (2002).
  33. R. J. Donnelly and C. F. Barenghi, The observed properties of liquid helium at the saturated vapor pressure, J. Phys. Chem. Ref. Data 27, 1217 (1998).

Outline

Information

Phys. Rev. Fluids 5, 093602– Published 10 September, 2020
  • Received 27 April 2020
  • Accepted 24 July 2020
Crossmark - Check for updates button

©2020 American Physical Society

Sign In to Your Journals Account

Filter

Filter

Article Lookup

Enter a citation