| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/R52190/01 |
| Title: |
Mathematical modelling surfactant driven flows |
| Principal Investigator: |
Howell, Dr P |
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| Department: |
Mathematical Institute |
| Organisation: |
University of Oxford |
| Scheme: |
Fast Stream |
| Starts: |
01 October 2001 |
Ends: |
30 September 2003 |
Value (£): |
61,064
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| Chemicals |
No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The proposed research concerns surfactants: dissolved species that may be adsorbed at a liquid-air interface, in which case they lower its surface energy. Two experiments, involving an overflowing cylinder and a liquid jet, are currently being carried out with a view to understanding of the behaviour of surfactants under dynamic conditions. Their results indicate that, at low concentration, ionic effects arising from the formation of an electrical double layer at the interface play a particularly important role, tending to impede the adsorption of surfactant. At high concentration, moreover, dissolved surfactant molecules associate to form micelles, with markedly different adsorption characteristics. Both ionic and micellar effects are known experimentally to be strongly influenced by the addition of salt to the solution. Furthermore, in many experimental and practical regimes, the interface is known to be out of thermodynamic equilibrium, in which case the standard identification of surface tension with surface energy fails.The aim of the proposed research is to derive new mathematical models describing (i) ionic effects, (ii) micellar effects and (iii) nonequilibrium effects on surfactant solutions, including the influence of salt. The mathematical project will run alongside existing experimental investigations so that each will benefit from the insight gained in the other.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.ox.ac.uk |