Drop and bubble micro manipulator (DBMM)—A unique tool for mimicking processes in foams and emulsions

The presented drop and bubble micro manipulator (DBMM) is a new experimental tool for the quantitative analysis of the interaction between two drops or two bubbles or even between a single drop with a bubble in a liquid medium. For each drop or bubble, a coarse and a very fine dosing system allow controlling their size or changing it in respect to a given protocol. An accurate pressure sensor for each drop/bubble can record changes in the capillary pressure with a selected sampling rate in order to follow critical processes between the two liquid menisci, such as coalescence. The stability of liquid films between drops or bubbles can be studied also under external perturbations, i.e. a harmonic oscillation with a given frequency and amplitude can be generated in order to find critical conditions for the coalescence. The described tool can be used in different experimental protocols. Among them there are options to mimic the situation of multilayers and multiple emulsions. Recording of dynamic processes as video with a standard frame rate is possible as well. Alternatively, a fast video camera can be mounted to monitor fast processes, such as the coalescence of two drops or bubbles.