Marangoni Flow — Surfactant-Driven

Marangoni Effect

The Marangoni effect arises from gradients in surface tension along a liquid interface. Wherever surfactant concentration is high, surface tension is lower; fluid is pulled away toward regions of higher surface tension, driving a characteristic flow pattern.

The driving stress is τ = dγ/dx = (dγ/dΓ)(dΓ/dx) where Γ is the surfactant surface concentration and γ is surface tension. Drop a surfactant spot (click the canvas) and watch vortical Marangoni rolls form and diffuse.