The rupture of a thin free film of a power-law fluid under the competing influences of destabilizing van der Waals pressure and stabilizing surface tension pressure is analyzed. In such a fluid, viscosity decreases with the deformation rate raised to the $n-1$ power where $0<n\le 1$ $(n=1$ for a Newtonian fluid). When $6/7<n\le 1$, film rupture occurs under a balance between van der Waals pressure, inertial stress, and viscous stress. When $n<6/7$, however, the dominant balance changes: Viscous stress becomes negligible and the film ruptures under the competition between van der Waals pressure, inertial stress, and surface tension pressure.

• Received 28 April 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.92.023014