2012/09/10 by Arthur A. Evans, Saverio E. Spagnolie, Denis Bartolo +1
Chemistry · Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Materials and Mechanics #Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials #Bending #Buckling #Capillary action #Cascade #Chemistry #Classical mechanics #Composite material #Dimensionless quantity #Engineering #Folding (DSP implementation) #Instability #Materials science #Mechanics #Micro and Nano Robotics #Moment (physics) #Physics #Protein filament #Structural engineering #Tension (geology) #cond-mat.soft
paper · pdf · doi:10.1039/c2sm27089g
published as Soft Matter, 2013,9, 1711-1720
arxiv created 2012/09/10 · openalex publication_date 2012/12/12 · arxiv updated 2013/02/12 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
When a flexible filament is confined to a fluid interface, the balance between capillary attraction, bending resistance, and tension from an external source can lead to a self-buckling instability. We perform an analysis of this instability and provide analytical formulae that compare favorably with the results of detailed numerical computations. The stability and long-time dynamics of the filament are governed by a single dimensionless elastocapillary number quantifying the ratio between capillary to bending stresses. Complex, folded filament configurations such as loops, needles, and racquet shapes may be reached at longer times, and long filaments can undergo a cascade of self-folding events.