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The CApillary FEeder Assay Measures Food Intake in Drosophila melanogaster

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Measurement of Capillary Forces Using Two Fibers Dynamically Withdrawn from a Liquid: Evidence for an Enhanced

Hadrien Bense¹, Emmanuel Siéfert¹, Fabian Brau¹

¹Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Nonlinear Physical Chemistry Unit, CP 231, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium.

Physical Review Letters

|November 17, 2023

Summary

Fiber retraction speed significantly amplifies capillary attraction forces. This study reveals the dynamic meniscus shape is key to understanding these enhanced interactions, with implications for various applications.

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Area of Science:

Fluid dynamics
Interfacial phenomena
Surface science

Background:

Capillary forces are crucial in liquid-solid interactions.
Understanding dynamic capillary forces is vital for processes involving fluid withdrawal.
Existing theories like Landau-Levich-Derjaguin do not fully capture dynamic meniscus behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

To experimentally measure and analyze capillary attraction between two fibers during dynamic withdrawal.
To investigate the influence of retraction speed on capillary force magnitude.
To develop a theoretical model for dynamic capillary forces based on meniscus shape.

Main Methods:

Experimental setup for measuring capillary attraction force during fiber retraction.
Optical observation and numerical simulations to characterize the dynamic meniscus.
Analysis of the air-liquid interface deformation around single and double fibers.

Main Results:

Capillary attraction force increases up to tenfold with retraction speed compared to static conditions.
The dynamic meniscus shape, not predicted by classical theories, drives this force enhancement.
A linear superposition principle accurately describes the interface around two fibers.
An analytical expression for capillary force shows good agreement with experimental data.

Conclusions:

Retraction speed critically influences capillary interactions between fibers.
The dynamic meniscus shape is the primary factor behind increased capillary forces.
The findings offer a new understanding of capillary phenomena with potential industrial and biological applications.