Thin Film Rupture

What is it about?

Rupture is the process by which a hole in a thin sheet of liquid, such as the surface of a bubble, grows. Classical rupture theories fail to predict this growth rate for very thin films. The atomic-scale factors responsible for this inaccuracy are exposed by simulating the individual atoms. This provides a model which corrects the established theory down to a few nanometers and uncovers a rich new physics at the nanoscale.

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Photo by Erik Škof on Unsplash

Photo by Erik Škof on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Despite its overwhelming relevance, the classical theory of thin-film retraction is limited by its erroneous prediction for films with thickness below 100 nanometers; the scale at which rupture begins. Using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, we unearth the atomic-scale origins of the retraction process and correct the existing theory to provide an accurate understanding of the problem across the scales. Our study, while giving unique new insight to describe rupture down to a few nanometers, also creates avenues to further the ideas to more complex liquid-vapor systems.