Effect of electrostatic field on film rupture

Nonlinear thin film rupture has been analyzed by investigating the stabilit y of films under the influence of a nonuniform electrostatic field to finit e amplitude disturbances. The dynamics of the liquid film is formulated usi ng the Navier-Stokes equations including a body force term due to van der W aals attractions, The effect of the electric field is included in the analy sis only in the boundary condition at the liquid vapor interface, The gover ning equation was solved by finite difference method as part of an initial value problem for spatial periodic boundary conditions. The electric field stabilizes the film and increases the time to rupture when a long wavelengt h perturbation is introduced.