title: Towards understanding elastocapillarity: comparing wetting of soft and rigid plates.
abstract: Elastocapillarity plays a significant role in the buoyancy and water repellency of soft objects floating on water. In this paper, we analyze the wetting behavior of an elastic and circular plate pressing a liquid surface. The geometry and stability of axisymmetric infinite liquid menisci are investigated, and their qualitative difference from two-dimensional planar menisci is revealed. By comparing the wetting processes of rigid and elastic circular plates under pressing, we show that flexibility benefits both the maximal depth and buoyancy a plate can reach. The results are helpful not only for understanding the living behavior of some aquatic creatures but also for the design of biomimetic soft microrobotics.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomechanics and Medical Engineering, AML, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Xi-Qiao
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D055119:Elastic Modulus; D004548:Elasticity; D006244:Hardness; D011312:Pressure; D013500:Surface Tension; D013816:Thermodynamics; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D017155:Wettability
chemical_list: D014867:Water