The time evolution of chemo-gravitational convection on a brim meniscus of wetting

By using optical interference microscope it becomes possible to visualize the generation and real time evolution of an instability generated by chemosorption of carbon dioxide with water solutions of a base at the brim meniscus of wetting. The reaction product is obtained at the interface in the form of droplets with the size increasing in time. At a definite size, the droplets begin to settle along the meniscus on the bottom as if the product was a new quasi-phase. It was found that in the case when liquid wets the experimental cell walls, the droplets move from walls to the center. Due to this fact, at the scale of a cell, the movement of the liquid is vertical. Liquid in the center of the cell moves down from the interface to the bottom, whereas along the wall it rises up to the interface. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.