Maximum bubble pressure tensiometry and foamability

The stability of a freshly created foam is intimately linked with the rate of mass transfer of a surfactant from liquid sub-phase to the interface, and this diffusion- or adsorption-limited kinetics is said to impact the so-called foamability. The time dependent variation in surface tension can also become a factor in controlling response to dilatational deformations, as kinetic effects due to mass transfer also enter into the description of Gibbs-Marangoni elasticity of surfaces. Dynamic surface tension measurements carried out with conventional methods like pendant drop analysis, Wilhelmy plate, etc are limited in their temporal resolution (\textgreater 50 ms). In this study, we describe design and application of maximum bubble pressure tensiometry for the measurement of dynamic surface tension effects at extremely short (1-50 ms) timescales. We discuss the ramifications of this nearly unprecedented capability for unraveling physics underlying high speed printing and foaming with small molecule surfactant solutions.