Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology, Vol.29, No.5, 360-369, 2015
Dynamics of inertial dewetting
The dynamics of fast dewetting is considered in both unidirectional and axisymmetric dewetting cases. The analysis provides the front and dewetting velocities along with the wave speed (Froude number larger than 1) based on the momentum and continuity equations. The model does not require any fitting parameter. In the unidirectional case, the present model results are direct, while in the axisymmetric case, a simple trial-and-error procedure is required. Culick's law (derived for the rupture of soap films and extended to unidirectional fast dewetting velocity by other investigators) is found to be a limiting case for both the dewetting and front velocities at small values of the film thickness for both unidirectional and axisymmetric dewetting geometries. The proposed model results show favorable agreement with published experimental front velocity data at large values of the film thickness.