On the thermocapillary motion of deformable droplets

In studies on Marangoni type motion of particles the surface tension is oft en approximated as a linear function of temperature. For deformable particl es in a constant-temperature gradient far from the reference point this app roximation yields a negative surface tension, which is physically unrealist ic. H. Zhou and R. H. Davis (J. Colloid Interface Sci. 181, 60 (1996)) pres ented calculations where the leading deformable drop moved into a region of negative surface tension. Here numerical studies detail the restriction of the migration of two deformable drops given in terms of the drift time. (C ) 2001 Academic Press.