Abstract:
Line tension is calculated for a simple model of a surface nanobubble formed on a smooth hydrophobic substrate. It is shown that, with an increase in the contact angle at a certain critical value, the surface tension changes sign from positive to negative. This means that the surface tension stretches the nanobubble, increasing its radius of curvature and thereby stabilizing it.
Keywords:surface nanobubble, linear tension, modified Young's formula, disjoining pressure.
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