Pendular, funicular, and capillary bridges: Results for two dimensions

The configurations and interactions in a system of particles connected by l iquid bridges are investigated. The basic phenomena have been elucidated us ing two-dimensional models with equal sized particles. With this restrictio n all possible contact configurations can be obtained by considering three particles. Different configurations of the liquid distribution can occur de pending on the amount of liquid, For small quantities of interstitial liqui d, the only possible configurations are pendular bridges. For large amounts of liquid a fully saturated state called the capillary state can exist. Th ere are also a number of intermediate cases characterized by varying degree s of interstitial voidage, which are classified as funicular configurations . The interactions of the particles by means of the interstitial liquid bin der in various possible configurations have been characterized, and the int erparticle forces and the energy of the system due to the capillary action of the liquid bridges have been calculated. The changes in configuration, f orce, and energy as one particle is pulled away are also considered. Since the parametric space for calculation is large, only two representative case s are presented, (C) 1999 Academic Press.