Hydrodynamic mode selection due to the electrocapillary effect: the mercury beating heart in neutral and basic solutions

The electrocapillary mechanism driving the oscillatory hydrodynamic modes of a «clean» (i.e., without organic contaminants) mercury drop in the absence of oxygen and in neutral and basic solutions was investigated. The electrocapillary driver can be mimicked by imposition of an external field oscillating with frequency ν max and amplitude ΔV about an appropriate voltage V 0 , where V 0 is referenced to a standard potential. The hydrodynamic mode selection for a given V 0 is controlled in a strictly reproducible and reversible manner by adjustment of the driver frequency ν max and the voltage ΔV