"Modelling of thin liquid films: long-wave approximation and gradient dynamics formulation"

Dear All,

Mathematical Soft Matter Unit (Fried Unit) would like to invite you to a Seminar by Professor Te-Sheng Lin from the National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan).

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Date: Tuesday, August 26th, 2015
Time: 14:00-15:00
Venue: C015, LevelC, Lab 1
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Speaker:
Professor Te-Sheng Lin,
Department of Applied Mathematics,
National Chiao Tung University (Taiwan)

Title: 
Modelling of thin liquid films: long-wave approximation and gradient dynamics formulation

Abstract:
The mechanics of thin liquid films can be modeled by a fourth-order nonlinear partial differential equation, the so-called thin film equation, which describes the evolution of the film thickness. In this talk we will discuss two approaches in the model derivation: one is the long-wave model derived through asymptotic expansion of the full governing equations and the other one is the gradient dynamics formulation based on an underlying free energy functional. As an example we discuss the model for a thin film of nematic liquid crystal in the limit of strong anchoring at the free surface and at the substrate. We show that the two derivations should agree with each other.