Benchmarking surface tension measurement method using two oscillation modes in levitated liquid metals

The Faraday forcing method in levitated liquid droplets has recently been introduced as a method for measuring surface tension using resonance. By subjecting an electrostatically levitated liquid metal droplet to a continuous, oscillatory, electric field, at a frequency nearing that of the droplet’s first principal mode of oscillation (known as mode 2), the method was previously shown to determine surface tension of materials that would be particularly difficult to process by other means, e.g., liquid metals and alloys. It also offers distinct advantages in future work involving high viscosity samples because of the continuous forcing approach. This work presents (1) a benchmarking experimental method to measure surface tension by excitation of the second principal mode of oscillation (known as mode 3) in a levitated liquid droplet and (2) a more rigorous quantification of droplet excitation using a projection method. Surface tension measurements compare favorably to literature values for Zirconium, Inconel 625, and Rhodium, using both modes 2 and 3. Thus, this new method serves as a credible, self-consistent benchmarking technique for the measurement of surface tension.