Direct Experimental Observation of the Crossover from Capillary to Elastic Surface Waves on Soft Gels

Francisco Monroy; Dominique Langevin

doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.3167

Direct Experimental Observation of the Crossover from Capillary to Elastic Surface Waves on Soft Gels

Francisco Monroy and Dominique Langevin

Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 3167 – Published 12 October 1998

Abstract

By using electrically excited surface waves we have studied the propagation of hydrodynamic modes on the surface of agarose gels in the frequency range $10^{1} - 10^{3} Hz$ . Bulk rheological behavior has been also determined in the frequency range $10^{- 2} - 10^{2} Hz$ by conventional rheometry. The propagation of two surface modes, capillary and elastic, is observed at low frequencies. Above a well defined crossover frequency, regular capillary behavior is observed. The experimental data are in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions and the measured bulk viscoelastic behavior.

Received 28 May 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.3167

Authors & Affiliations

Francisco Monroy^*,† and Dominique Langevin^‡

Centre de Recherche Paul Pascal, CNRS, Avenue Dr. Schweitzer, Château Brivazac, F-33600 Pessac, France

^*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
^†Present address: Laboratoire de Physique des Solides, Bǎtiment 510, Université Paris-Sud, 91405 Orsay, France.
^‡