Hydrodynamic Signatures of Stationary Marangoni-Driven Surfactant Transport

Phys Rev Lett. 2017 Dec 29;119(26):264501. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.264501. Epub 2017 Dec 28.

Abstract

We experimentally study steady Marangoni-driven surfactant transport on the interface of a deep water layer. Using hydrodynamic measurements, and without using any knowledge of the surfactant physicochemical properties, we show that sodium dodecyl sulphate and Tergitol 15-S-9 introduced in low concentrations result in a flow driven by adsorbed surfactant. At higher surfactant concentration, the flow is dominated by the dissolved surfactant. Using camphoric acid, whose properties are a priori unknown, we demonstrate this method's efficacy by showing its spreading is adsorption dominated.