Study on planforms in evaporative poly(methyl methacrylate) solutions

The benard cells planforms in MEK/PMMA systems are investigated experimentally by aid of two means of observation; PIV and the usual digital camera. The solvent mass flux and surface temperature during the time are measured to present overviews of system situation during drying. The effects of two parameters, initial thicknesses and content of polymer, which are introduced by the thermal Zhang and solutal Marangoni numbers, on planforms are studied. The results proposed that the both thermal and solutal convections are responsible for Benard cells planforms in the polymer solution.