Impact of surface rheology on droplet coalescence in uniaxial compressional flow

When two droplets come close together to coalesce, a thin liquid film forms between the droplets. The drainage of this film alters the critical conditions under which coalescence occurs. In this study, we explore how the interfacial surface shear and dilational viscosity affect the thin film formation and drainage time in a head-on collision between two droplets. We model the surface rheology of the droplet using the Boussinesq--Scriven constitutive relationship for a Newtonian interface.