O'Loughlin, Muireann2025-12-172025-12-172013https://hdl.handle.net/1959.8/151641viii, 127 leavesillustrations (some colour)Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-116)Capillary driven flow is fundamental to many technological applications such as oil extraction through porous rocks or ink-jet printing. The classic description of the capillary rise dynamics of liquid into narrow channels with uniform cross section, chemically homogeneous and smooth walls is given by Washburn’s equation. The surface of every day solids and technological devices (including microfluidics) are generally far from being ideal. However, the Washburn equation assumes that the contact angle preserves its equilibrium value at all times and capillary walls are ideal. Conflicting views in the literature over the extent of validity of Washburn’s equation,1-4 have brought forward new and challenging questions regarding the theory of capillary flows. Whether or not the Washburn theory provides a valid description for experiments with homogeneous capillaries, providing the necessary foundation upon which to build the study of heterogeneous capillaries, was one of the driving questions underlying the research of this thesis.encapillary rise;contact angle;wettabilityFluid dynamicsthesis