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Fluid Dynamics Seminar

Mon., Apr. 1, 2013, 4:00 PM
Cullimore, Room 611
New Jersey Institute of Technology

Drops on squishy surfaces

Robert Style

Mechanical Engineering/Geology & Geophysics, Yale University

Abstract

How does a drop sit on a surface? The classical answer is that it adopts an equilibrium shape with a contact angle given by Young's law. However our experiments show that Young's law breaks down on soft substrates. We show that this is caused by deformation of the substrate by the drop. Drops on squishy surfaces also exhibit a variety of surprising new phenomena. For instance, we demonstrate how droplets can move spontaneously and form pre-determined patterns on flat substrates.