Flexible Filaments in Fluid Flow: Modeling the Effect of Hairy Textures on Wet Adhesion

Abstract

This thesis seeks to explore the behavior of elastic filaments in fluid flow, and particularly their impact on wet adhesion. Modeling adhesive forces in the presence of flexible polymers can provide a better understanding of the rampant hair-like structures found in nature and in the liquid transfer technologies used in painting, coating, and printing industries. I present fast-prototyping methods for these flexible polymers that will enable easy modification of variables like hair length and hair density. These methods will allow us to elucidate the impact of the structures on the physics at play in a range of experimental conditions. We expect that the elasticity and porosity of our hairy materials will play a critical role in how their behavior compares to theory and how we expect them to interact with fluids. Research in particular will explore deviations from Euler’s buckling theory for rods and beams, from Washburn’s law for capillary rise, and from more traditional models of ink transfer in printing processes. We believe that these three areas of experimental study only scratch the surface of problems that can be better understood with these fast-prototyping methods of elastic filaments.