Drop impact on a flexible fiber

TL;DR

This study investigates how the flexibility of fibers influences the capture of impacting droplets, revealing a non-monotonic relationship and suggesting that tuning fiber mechanics can improve capture efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces experimental analysis of droplet impact on flexible fibers, highlighting the role of elasticity in capture dynamics, which was not addressed in prior rigid fiber studies.

Findings

Threshold capture velocity varies non-monotonically with fiber flexibility.

Tuning fiber mechanical properties can optimize droplet capture.

Flexibility influences the coupling of elastic and capillary effects.

Abstract

When droplets impact fibrous media, the liquid can be captured by the fibers or contact then break away. Previous studies have shown that the efficiency of drop capture by a rigid fiber depends on the impact velocity and defined a threshold velocity below which the drop is captured. However, it is necessary to consider the coupling of elastic and capillary effects to achieve a greater understanding of the capture process for soft substrates. Here, we study experimentally the dynamics of a single drop impacting on a thin flexible fiber. Our results demonstrate that the threshold capture velocity depends on the flexibility of fibers in a non-monotonic way. We conclude that tuning the mechanical properties of fibers can optimize the efficiency of droplet capture.