A model for investigating the behaviour of non-spherical particles at interfaces

This paper introduces a simple method for modelling non-spherical particles with a fixed contact angle at an interface whilst also providing a method to fix the particles orientation. It is shown how a wide variety of particle shapes (spherical, ellipsoidal, disc) can be created from a simple initial geometry containing only six vertices. The shapes are made from one continuous surface with edges and corners treated as smooth curves not discontinuities. As such, particles approaching cylindrical and orthorhombic shapes can be simulated but the contact angle crossing the edges will be fixed.Non-spherical particles, when attached to an interface can cause large distortions in the surface which affect the forces acting on the particle. The model presented is capable of resolving this distortion of the surface around the particle at the interface as well as allowing for the particle’s orientation to be controlled. It is shown that, when considering orthorhombic particles with rounded edges, the flatter the particle the more energetically stable it is to sit flat at the interface. However, as the particle becomes more cube like, the effects of contact angle have a greater effect on the energetically stable orientations. Results for cylindrical particles with rounded edges are also discussed. The model presented allows the user to define the shape, dimensions, contact angle and orientation of the particle at the interface allowing more in-depth investigation of the complex phenomenon of 3D film distortion around an attached particle and the forces that arise due to it.

Graphical abstractA model capable of simulating the film shape around non-spherical particles is presented with investigation into the effect of particle shape on energitically stable orientations at an interface.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (122 K)Download as PowerPoint slideResearch highlights► Model for simulating many different shapes of particle at an interface introduced. ► Contact angle affects the energetically stable orientations at an interface. ► Aspect ratio of particle affects its stable orientations at an interface. ► Particle orientation can be easily defined by the user.