Monitoring photochemical reactions using Marangoni flows

We evaluated the sensitivity and time resolution of a technique for photochemical reaction monitoring based on the interferometric detection of the deformation of liquid films. The reaction products change the local surface tension and induce Marangoni flow in the liquid film. As a model system, we consider the irradiation of the aliphatic hydrocarbon squalane with broadband deep-UV light. We developed a numerical model that quantitatively reproduces the flow patterns observed in the experiments. Moreover, we present self-similarity solutions that elucidate the mechanisms governing different stages of the dynamics and their parametric dependence. Surface tension changes as small as Δγ = 10^-6 N/m can be detected, and time resolutions of <1 s can be achieved.