- Accepted Paper
Pulsatile flow breaks the Rayleigh’s frequency barrier in electrosprays
Phys. Rev. Fluids - Accepted 21 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/l8sx-gt4t
Phys. Rev. Fluids - Accepted 21 September, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/l8sx-gt4t
In pulsating electrosprays, jetting arises from repeated formation and collapse of an electrified meniscus, with singularities emerging at frequencies governed by Rayleigh’s capillary resonance theory. These frequencies are fundamentally limited by surface tension, fluid density, and nozzle radius, with constraints that become increasingly restrictive as emitter diameter decreases or as flow rate falls below the minimum required to sustain a cone-jet electrospray. Here we demonstrate that imposing pulsatile flow through piezoelectric actuation under an applied electric field enables jetting at frequencies far exceeding Rayleigh’s predictions. The mechanical forcing dictates meniscus dynamics and jetting frequency, generating regular oscillations that mimic second-order waveforms while operating beyond classical frequency constraints. Remarkably, jetting phase-locks to either meniscus extrusion or withdrawal depending on the interplay of mechanical waves. By introducing mechanical control over meniscus dynamics, this framework breaks the Rayleigh frequency barrier and opens new parameter space for high-frequency electrospray applications. These results establish a new understanding of coupled mechanical-electrohydrodynamic systems, with implications that might extend beyond electrospray to other fields involving interfacial oscillations under competing forces.
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