A Dynamical Model of Molecular Monolayers: Why Tethers Don't Snap

ORAL

Abstract

A bola-shaped domain in a Langmuir monolayer at the air/water interface relaxes towards a circular shape under the influence of line tension. The ``tether'' thickens continuously in this process, in marked contrast to the Hele-Shaw and the three-dimensional cases, where hydrodynamic instabilities lead to the tether snapping. A simplified dynamical model allows us use lubrication theory to explain this without incorporating repulsive forces to stabilize the tether in 2D. The model also allows us to give a better estimate of line tensions from the relaxation rate of such monolayer domains. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No.9984304.

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Authors

  • Elizabeth K. Mann

    • Department of Physics, Kent State University

  • Lu Zou

    • Department of Physics, Kent State University

  • Andrew Bernoff

    • Department of Mathematics, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711

  • James Alexander

    • Department of Mathematics, Case Western Reserve University

  • J. Adin Mann

    • Department of Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44216