Interfaces of droplets, bubbles, and elastic membranes
Contact lines
By combining theory, simulations and experiments we have been looking at how physics at the contact line, the point where liquid surface meets the solid, influences dynamics at the much larger droplet scale. Dynamic friction like effects at the contact line can determine the shape and spreading speed of drops.
Dynamics of droples
Control of droplets are essential to microfluidics as well as two-phase flows in industial processes such as the oil and gas industry. We have using numerical simulations based on the Cahn-Hilliard equations, coupled with the fluid flow to characterize flow phenomena like droplet clogging at channel bifurcations, droplet electro-coalescence and impact of drops on porous substrates.
Singularities at membrane touchdown
Elastic interfaces are abundant in geology, in biology and in industrial processes such as wafer bonding, We use a combination of numerical simulations and scaling analysis to describe the self-similar touchdown and spreading of elastic interfaces. This class of elastohydrodynamics share many features with rupture and spreading of capillary thin film hydrodynamics, but reveals a new class of singular flows linking elasticity, hydrodynamics, and adhesion.