Abstract
The interfacial mechanics of soft elastic networks plays a central role in biological and technological contexts. Yet, effects of solid capillarity have remained controversial, primarily due to the strain-dependent surface energy. Here we derive the equations that govern the selection of contact angles of liquid drops on elastic surfaces from variational principles. It is found that the substrate's elasticity imposes a nontrivial condition that relates pinning, hysteresis, and contact line mobility to the so-called Shuttleworth effect. We experimentally validate our theory for droplets on a silicone gel, revealing an enhanced contact line mobility when stretching the substrate.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Article number | 068003 |
Journal | Physical review letters |
Volume | 121 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 8 Aug 2018 |