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Capillary instability on an elastic helix.

Sunghwan Jung1, Christophe Clanet, John W M Bush

  • 1Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.

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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

We studied how elastic helical threads break apart in fluids. The helical shape significantly increases the instability wavelength, similar to spider capture threads.

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Area of Science:

  • Fluid dynamics
  • Elasticity
  • Instability phenomena

Background:

  • Capillary instability, or the Rayleigh-Plateau instability, describes how fluid jets break into droplets.
  • Elasticity plays a crucial role in the behavior of confined fluid structures.
  • Helical structures exhibit unique physical properties influenced by their geometry.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the capillary instability of an elastic helical thread confined within a fluid.
  • To determine how the thread's elastic energy modifies the Rayleigh-Plateau instability.
  • To explore the relevance of this phenomenon to biological systems, such as orb-weaver spider capture threads.

Main Methods:

  • Combined experimental and theoretical approaches were employed.
  • Simulations and physical experiments were conducted to model the fluid-thread interaction.
  • Analysis focused on the interplay between fluid forces and the elastic properties of the helical thread.

Main Results:

  • The elastic energy of the helical thread significantly influences capillary instability.
  • The helical coil structure can substantially increase the most unstable wavelength.
  • A direct relationship was found between the helical geometry and the instability characteristics.

Conclusions:

  • The study elucidates the impact of elastic energy on capillary instability in helical threads.
  • The findings suggest that helical coiling can suppress droplet formation by increasing the instability wavelength.
  • The model provides insights into the mechanics of biological threads, like those used by orb-spiders for prey capture.