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Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Controlled Strain of 3D Hydrogels under Live Microscopy Imaging
Published on: December 4, 2020
Hydrodynamic induced deformation and orientation of a microscopic elastic filament
M Cosentino Lagomarsino1, I Pagonabarraga, C P Lowe
1UMR168-CNRS/Institut Curie, 26 rue d'Ulm, 75005 Paris, France. mcl@curie.fr
Abstract:
We describe simulations of an elastic filament immersed in a fluid and subjected to a body force. The coupling between the fluid flow and the friction that the filament experiences induces bending and alignment perpendicular to the force. With increasing force there are four shape regimes, ranging from slight distortion to an unsteady tumbling motion. We also find marginally stable structures. The instability of these shapes and the alignment are explained by induced bending and nonlocal hydrodynamic interactions. These effects are experimentally relevant for stiff microfilaments.
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