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The dynamics of a spherical elastic capsule, containing a Newtonian fluid bounded by an elastic membrane and immersed in another Newtonian fluid, in a uniform DC electric field is investigated. Discontinuity of electrical properties such as…
Nature is remarkably adept at using interfaces to build structures, encapsulate reagents, and regulate biological processes. Inspired by Nature, we describe flexible polymer-based ribbons, termed "mesoscale polymers" (MSPs), to modulate…
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Ionic microcapsules are hollow shells of hydrogel, typically 10-1000 nm in radius, composed of cross-linked polymer networks that become charged and swollen in a good solvent. The ability of microcapsules to swell/deswell in response to…
Understanding the mechanical instabilities of two-dimensional membranes has strong connection to the subjects of structure instabilities, morphology control and materials failures. In this work, we investigate the plastic mechanism…
Solutions of macromolecules can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation to form droplets with ultra-low surface tension. Droplets with such low surface tension wet and spread over common surfaces such as test tubes and microscope slides,…
Microgels are complex macromolecules. These colloid-sized polymer networks possess internal degrees of freedom and, depending on the polymer(s) they are made of, can acquire a responsiveness to variations of the environment (temperature,…
Nano-scale fluid transport has vast applications spanning from water desalination to biotechnology [1,2]. It is possible to pump fluids in nano-conduits using pressure gradients [3], thermal methods [4], electric [5,6] and magnetic fields…
Nanofibrillated cellulose, a polymer that can be obtained from one of the most abundant biopolymers in Nature, is being increasingly explored due to its outstanding properties for packaging and device applications. Still, open challenges in…
We introduce a compact yet highly expressive design space for shellular metamaterials. By employing only a few dozen degrees of freedom, this design space represents geometries ranging from simple planar configurations to complex triply…
We report detailed theoretical investigations of the micro-mechanics and bulk elastic properties of composites consisting of randomly distributed stiff fibers embedded in an elastic matrix in two and three dimensions. Recent experiments…
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Drying of biologically-relevant sessile droplets, including passive systems (like DNA and proteins), as well as active microbial systems comprising bacteria and algae, have garnered considerable attention over the last decades. Distinct…