Fast processes in liquid metal foams investigated by high-speed synchrotron x-ray microradioscopy

Rupture of an individual film in an evolving liquid metal foam is investigated by means of high-speed x-ray radioscopy using white synchrotron radiation. At a frame rate of 5000 frames/s, the rupture event is spread over three to four images. The images show that the remnants of the rupturing film are pulled into the surrounding plateau borders in 600 +/- 100 mu s which conforms well with a liquid movement governed by inertia and not by viscosity. Within one order of magnitude, the viscosity of the liquid involved must be similar to the viscosity of pure liquid aluminium. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.