Stephane Poulain: Droplet settling on solids coated with a soft layer

Abstract: Gravitational settling of a droplet in air onto a soft substrate is a ubiquitous event relevant to many natural processes and engineering applications. We study this phenomenon by developing a three-phase lubrication model of droplet settling onto a solid substrate coated by a thin, soft compressible layer of elastic material. By combining scaling analysis, analytical methods and numerical simulations we elucidate how the resulting droplet dynamics is affected by the soft layer. We discuss extensions to droplet settlings onto thin viscous liquid films and elastic sheets. Our results provide new insight into the coupled interactions between droplets and solids coated by a thin film of a soft material.

Talk can be followed online on Zoom as well as in person. Please contact "timokoch at uio.no" for the Zoom link. This talk is part of the Mechanics Lunch Seminar series. Bring-your-own-lunch and lots of questions.