Stabilization of a Liquid Bridge in Air using AC Electric Fields under Microgravity and Observation of its Deformation

Abstract

A cylindrical liquid bridge under zero-gravity becomes unstable when its length exceeds its circumference (the Rayleigh-Plateau limit). The behavior of a liquid bridge stabilized by axial electric fields was investigated using the drop-shaft of the Japan Microgravity Center (JAMIC).
It was confirmed that AC electric fields in air stabilized an almost cylindrical liquid bridge whose length was above the Rayleigh-Plateau limit for a short period under microgravity, and that the unstable liquid bridge under microgravity broke asymmetrically in the axial direction.