Eur. Phys. J. E 6, 255-258 (2001)
Independent variables in foam clusters
M.A. Fortes and P.I.C. TeixeiraDepartamento de Engenharia de Materiais e Instituto de Ciência e Engenharia de Materiais e Superfícies, Instituto Superior Técnico, Avenida Rovisco Pais, P-1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal paulo@ist.utl.pt
(Received 31 May 2001 and Received in final form 12 September 2001)
Abstract
We find, by counting the degrees of freedom of two-dimensional bubble
clusters (finite or periodic) of given topology and bubble areas, that the
Plateau laws determine a unique configuration of a finite free cluster, but
allow an infinite number of configurations of a periodic cluster. Each of
these configurations is associated with a particular strain (stress) state
of the cluster; there is in general one unstrained configuration, which
corresponds to the minimum of the (surface) energy. Configurations of given
topology that satisfy Plateau's laws may only exist in certain ranges of
bubble area ratios and/or strains.
83.80.Iz - Emulsions and foams.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag 2001
