English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Free Plan

We study the interaction of small hydrophobic particles on the surface of anultra-soft elastic gel, in which a small amount of elasticity of the mediumbalances the weights of the particles. The excess energy of the surface of thedeformed gel causes them to attract as is the case with the generic capillaryinteractions of particles on a liquid surface. The variation of thegravitational potential energies of the particles resulting from their descentsin the gel coupled with the superposition principle of Nicolson allow a fairestimation of the distance dependent attractive energy of the particles. Thisenergy follows a modified Bessel function of the second kind with acharacteristic elastocapillary decay length that decreases with the elasticityof the medium. An interesting finding of this study is that the particles onthe gel move towards each other as if the system possesses a negativediffusivity that is inversely proportional to friction. This study illustrateshow the capillary interaction of particles is modified by the elasticity of themedium, which is expected to have important implications in the surface forcedriven self-assembly of particles. In particular, this study points out thatthe range and the strength of the capillary interaction can be tuned in byappropriate choices of the elasticity of the support and the interfacialtension of the surrounding medium. Manipulation of the particle interactions isexemplified in such fascinating mimicry of the biological processes as thetubulation, phagocytic engulfment and in the assembly of particles that can beused to study nucleation and clustering phenomena in well controlled settings.

Elasto-capillary interaction of particles on the surfaces of ultra-soft gels: a novel route to study self-assembly and soft lubrication