Berlin 2024 – scientific programme

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DY: Fachverband Dynamik und Statistische Physik

DY 32: Poster: Active Matter, Soft Matter, Fluids

DY 32.3: Poster

Wednesday, March 20, 2024, 15:00–18:00, Poster C

Droplets on soft and flexible sheets — •Salik Sultan, Josua Grawitter, and Holger Stark — Technische Universität Berlin, Institute of Theoretical Physics, Hardenbergstr. 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany

Droplets sitting on flexible sheets deform the sheets and assume the shape of a lens. One promising application of this phenomenon is the potential for designing tunable fluidic lenses. In our ongoing research we build on our established droplet model, developed using the boundary element method (BEM), to investigate dynamic wetting on thin flexible sheets. Central to our study is the nuanced interplay between the mechanical attributes of the sheet and droplet behavior, with a particular emphasis on contact angle during wetting. Drawing inspiration from biological membranes, we have integrated the Skalak model for elastic deformations and the Helfrich Hamiltonian for bending mechanics into our approach. This enables us to dissect how tension forces and sheet rigidity impact droplet shape and wetting dynamics, and ultimately allows us to steer droplets along the sheet. While our model has implications in material science, its versatility allows for insights into interfacial biology, illuminating the fascinating interactions between soft substrates and liquid interfaces.

Keywords: Wetting; Droplets; Soft Substrates; Interfacial Interaction