Size dependence of the surface tension of a free surface of an isotropic fluid

Sergii Burian (1) , Mykola Isaiev (1) , Konstantinos Termentzidis (2) , Vladimir Sysoev (1) , Leonid Bulavin (1)

1 Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
2 LEMTA - Laboratoire d'Energétique et Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée

We report on the size dependence of the surface tension of a free surface of an isotropic fluid. The size dependence of the surface tension is evaluated based on the Gibbs-Tolman-Koenig-Buff equation for positive and negative values of curvatures and the Tolman lengths. For all combinations of positive and negative signs of curvature and the Tolman length, we succeed to have a continuous function, avoiding the existing discontinuity at zero curvature (flat interfaces). As an example, a water droplet in the thermodynamical equilibrium with the vapor is analyzed in detail. The size dependence of the surface tension and the Tolman length are evaluated with the use of experimental data of the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam. The evaluated Tolman length of our approach is in good agreement with molecular dynamics and experimental data.

Domaines: Chimie théorique et/ou physique; Matière Molle [cond-mat.soft]

Sergii Burian, Mykola Isaiev, Konstantinos Termentzidis, Vladimir Sysoev, Leonid Bulavin. Size dependence of the surface tension of a free surface of an isotropic fluid. Physical Review E , 2017, 95 (6), pp.062801. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevE.95.062801⟩. ⟨hal-02353202⟩