Marangoni Flow Before Carlo Marangoni

Abstract

In fluid dynamics, particularly in research on soft matter, it is well known that surface tension gradients drive fluid flow, a phenomenon known as Marangoni flow. The effect is named after Carlo Marangoni, who described it in 1865 as part of his doctoral thesis on droplets and liquid films. While Marangoni's contribution is rightly recognized, this article examines three earlier scientific publications in which the same effect was described experimentally. Published between 1833 and 1855, these works are largely unknown to the modern soft matter research community, partly due to linguistic and disciplinary barriers. This work aims to trace the research history of this important phenomenon by briefly reviewing the history of Marangoni flow prior to Carlo Marangoni and highlighting the often fragmented nature of scientific discoveries across different eras and languages.