CONTACT LINE QUADRILATERAL RELATION - GENERALIZATION OF THE NEUMANN TRIANGLE RELATION TO INCLUDE LINE TENSION

The contact line quadrilateral relation is a generalization of the cla ssical Neumann triangle relation that includes the effect of line tens ion. The relation is derived using a minimum free energy principle tha t may be graphically represented by a quadrilateral whose four sides c onsist of three surface tension quantities and a line tension term. Wh en the line tension term vanishes, the quadrilateral relation simplifi es to the classical Neumann triangle relation. Applications of the qua drilateral relation are illustrated using several axisymmetric capilla ry geometries.