Related papers: Soft-lubrication interactions between a rigid sphe…
The equilibrium shape of liquid drops on elastic substrates is determined by minimising elastic and capillary free energies, focusing on thick incompressible substrates. The problem is governed by three length scales: the size of the drop…
We present a comprehensive theoretical and computational model that explores the behavior of a thin hydrated film bonded to a non-hydrated / impermeable soft substrate in the context of surface and bulk elasticity coupled with surface…
We propose an approach to measure surface elastic constants of soft solids. Generally, this requires one to probe interfacial mechanics at around the elastocapillary length scale, which is typically microscopic. Deformations of microscopic…
Elastic deformation due to embedded fluidic networks is currently studied in the context of soft-actuators and soft-robotic applications. In this work, we analyze interaction between the elastic deflection of a slender beam and viscous flow…
We describe theoretically ``electrolubrication'' in liquid mixtures, the phenomenon where an electric field applied transverse to the confining surfaces leads to concentration gradients that alter the flow profile significantly. When the…
The surface tension of compliant materials such as gels provides resistance to deformation in addition to and sometimes surpassing that due to elasticity. This article studies how surface tension changes the contact mechanics of a small…
We analyse the dynamics of a weakly elastic spherical particle translating parallel to a rigid wall in a quiescent Newtonian fluid in the Stokes limit. The particle motion is constrained parallel to the wall by applying a point force and a…
When a soft hydrogel sphere is placed on a rigid hydrophilic substrate, it undergoes arrested spreading by forming an axisymmetric foot near the contact line, while conserving its global spherical shape. In contrast, liquid water (that…
It is known that an object translating parallel to a soft wall in a viscous fluid produces hydro- dynamic stresses that deform the wall, which, in turn, results in a lift force on the object. Recent experiments with cylinders sliding under…
The Leidenfrost effect occurs when an object near a hot surface vaporizes rapidly enough to lift itself up and hover. Although well-understood for liquids and stiff sublimable solids, nothing is known about the effect with materials whose…
We examine the reaction of a homogeneous spherical fluid vesicle to the force exerted by a rigid circular ring located at its equator in the linear regime. We solve analytically the linearized first integral of the Euler-Lagrange equation…
We present a theoretical model and experimental demonstration of thin liquid film deformations due to a dielectric force distribution established by surface electrodes. We model the spatial electric field produced by a pair of parallel…
When a rigid object approaches a soft material in a viscous fluid, hydrodynamic stresses arise in the lubricated contact region and deform the soft material. The elastic deformation modifies in turn the flow, hence generating a…
We present an analytical calculation of the hydrodynamic interaction between two spherical particles near an elastic interface such as a cell membrane. The theory predicts the frequency dependent self- and pair-mobilities accounting for the…
Particles added to a fluid interface can be used as a surface stabilizer in the food, oil and cosmetic industries. As an alternative to rigid particles, it is promising to consider highly deformable particles that can adapt their…
We study experimentally the impact on rigid surfaces of different soft porous solids saturated with liquid: hydrogel balls and liquid-saturated foam balls. The static con tact of such soft solids with the substrate is well described by…
Wrinkling of an inextensible elastic lining of an inner-lined tube under imposed pressure is considered. A simple equation modeling the elastic properties of the lining, the pressure, and the soft-substrate forces is derived. This equation…
The efficiency of soft particles to stabilize emulsions is examined by measuring their desorption free energy, i.e., the mechanical work required to detach the particle from a fluid interface. Here, we consider rubber-like elastic as well…
Inspired by recent experiments demonstrating that vibrating elastic sheets can function as seemingly contactless suction cups, we investigate the elastohydrodynamic hovering of a thin elastic sheet vibrating near a rigid substrate. Previous…
A liquid surface touching a solid usually deforms in a near-wall meniscus region. In this work, we replace part of the free surface with a soft polymer and examine the shape of this elasto-capillary meniscus, result of the interplay between…