Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations

Elmar Christof Fuchs*, Jakob Woisetschläger, Adam D. Wexler, René Pecnik, Giuseppe Vitiello

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A horizontal electrohydrodynamic (EHD) liquid bridge (also known as a “floating water bridge”) is a phenomenon that forms when high voltage DC (kV·cm−1) is applied to pure water in two separate beakers. The bridge, a free-floating connection between the beakers, acts as a cylindrical lens and refracts light. Using an interferometric set-up with a line pattern placed in the background of the bridge, the light passing through is split into a horizontally and a vertically polarized component which are both projected into the image space in front of the bridge with a small vertical offset (shear). Apart from a 100 Hz waviness due to a resonance effect between the power supply and vortical structures at the onset of the bridge, spikes with an increased refractive index moving through the bridge were observed. These spikes can be explained by an electrically induced liquid–liquid phase transition in which the vibrational modes of the water molecules couple coherently
Original languageEnglish
Article number602
Number of pages15
JournalWater (Switzerland)
Volume13
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2021

Keywords

  • Floating water bridge
  • Interferometry
  • Liquid-liquid phase transition

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Water Science and Technology
  • Geography, Planning and Development
  • Aquatic Science
  • Biochemistry

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Electrically Induced Liquid–Liquid Phase Transition in a Floating Water Bridge Identified by Refractive Index Variations'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this