TY - JOUR
T1 - Elastocapillarity can control the formation and the morphology of beads-on-string structures in solid fibers
AU - Taffetani, M.
AU - Ciarletta, P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 American Physical Society.
PY - 2015/3/23
Y1 - 2015/3/23
N2 - Beads-on-string patterns have been experimentally observed in solid cylinders for a wide range of material properties and structural lengths, from millimetric soft gels to nanometric hard fibers. In this work, we combine theoretical analysis and numerical tools to investigate the formation and nonlinear dynamics of such beaded structures. We show that this morphological transition is driven by elastocapillarity, i.e., a complex interplay between the effects of surface tension and bulk elasticity. Unlike buckling or wrinkling, the presence of an axial elongation is found here to favor the onset of fiber beading, in agreement with existing experimental results on electrospun fibers, hydrogels, and nerves. Our results also prove that the applied stretch can be used in fabrication techniques to control the morphology of the emerging beads-on-string patterns. Such quantitative predictions open the way for several applications, from tissue engineering to the design of stretchable electronics and the microfabrication of functionalized surfaces.
AB - Beads-on-string patterns have been experimentally observed in solid cylinders for a wide range of material properties and structural lengths, from millimetric soft gels to nanometric hard fibers. In this work, we combine theoretical analysis and numerical tools to investigate the formation and nonlinear dynamics of such beaded structures. We show that this morphological transition is driven by elastocapillarity, i.e., a complex interplay between the effects of surface tension and bulk elasticity. Unlike buckling or wrinkling, the presence of an axial elongation is found here to favor the onset of fiber beading, in agreement with existing experimental results on electrospun fibers, hydrogels, and nerves. Our results also prove that the applied stretch can be used in fabrication techniques to control the morphology of the emerging beads-on-string patterns. Such quantitative predictions open the way for several applications, from tissue engineering to the design of stretchable electronics and the microfabrication of functionalized surfaces.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84926033433&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.91.032413
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.91.032413
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 25871129
AN - SCOPUS:84926033433
SN - 1539-3755
VL - 91
JO - Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
JF - Physical Review E - Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
IS - 3
M1 - 032413
ER -