Elastocapillary coalesecne of comb structure by liquid bridge

Abstract

Structures smaller than submillimeter scale can be easily deformed by capillarity, but it is difficult to predict because the capillary-induced deformation is usually unstable phenomena. In this study, a simple experiment was proposed to characterize the capillary-induced coalescence of thin tall structures. Multiple parallel plates separated by small gaps and fixed at their bottom ends were lowered into a liquid to generate their bending deformation by a liquid bridge formed between them. It was revealed that the plates do not coalesce simultaneously, but in a sequence starting from the plate pairs with the smallest gap. These plates after the contact can be regarded to be a single plate with the increased thickness. An analytical model was established to predict the bending deformation of the plates based on the minimum potential energy. The effectiveness of the model was confirmed by accurately predicting the sequence of coalescence in multiple plates.