MarangoniInstabilität

Marangoni instability, also known as the Marangoni effect or thermocapillary instability, describes the spontaneous formation of convection currents in a fluid layer due to surface tension gradients. These gradients can arise from variations in temperature or concentration across the fluid's surface. When a surface is hotter in one region than another, the surface tension in the hotter region is typically lower. This difference in surface tension pulls the fluid from the region of lower surface tension towards the region of higher surface tension, creating a flow. If this flow is strong enough, it can lead to the formation of complex patterns, including rolls, cells, or even droplets, disrupting the fluid's initially smooth surface.

This phenomenon is crucial in various natural and industrial processes. In meteorology, it plays a role in cloud formation and the dynamics of thin liquid films. In industrial applications, Marangoni instability can affect processes like crystal growth, semiconductor manufacturing, and the behavior of liquid fuels. Understanding and controlling Marangoni instability is therefore important for optimizing these processes and preventing unwanted side effects. The critical conditions for the onset of instability depend on fluid properties such as viscosity, thermal conductivity, and surface tension, as well as geometric factors like layer thickness and aspect ratio.