title: Films driven by surface tension gradients.
abstract: Fingering instabilities are often observed at the contact line of drops of surfactant solutions spreading spontaneously on solid surfaces. It has been recognised recently that a usual linear stability analysis predicts stable behaviour in contrast to the observed instability. It now seems the instability arises from short-time transients, where the thickness of the film ahead of the main drop is a crucial parameter for amplification. We reconsidered previous experiments and performed new ones along these lines. The strengths and weaknesses of the available models were analysed.
authors.affiliation: Collège de France, Lab. Physique de la Matiere Condense, Paris, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cachile
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schneemilch
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamraoui
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Cazabat