Dynamics of Fibre-laden Drops
Experiments where solid and fluid mechanics meet
Masterthesis, Bachelorthesis
Who hasn’t noticed strands of hair clumping together after a shower? The cause is a phenomenon called elastocapillarity. Surface tension from water drops exerts forces that deform flexible materials like fibers. Thus, hydrophilic fibers can get coiled inside droplets, a behavior also seen in nature. For example, spiders use micro-drops to enhance the elasticity of their webs. This principle may offer interesting applications in biomimetics. and microelectronics. Furthermore, this effect can be used in industry to produce micro-electronics. In our research, we investigate the fundamental dynamics of fiber-laden droplets.