Impulse-driven capillary detachment

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Maity, Dilip Kr., Dighe, Sandip, Sahoo, Nilamani, Truscott, Tadd
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Maity, Dilip Kr.
Dighe, Sandip
Sahoo, Nilamani
Truscott, Tadd
author_facet Maity, Dilip Kr.
Dighe, Sandip
Sahoo, Nilamani
Truscott, Tadd
contents Capillary interfaces subjected to impulsive forcing arise in many natural and technological systems, yet the pathway by which rapid substrate motion is converted into droplet detachment remains unclear. Here we study this process in a controlled setting: a liquid droplet resting on a taut wire that is plucked and suddenly released. The resulting transverse wave imparts a brief inertial forcing at the droplet base, initiating rapid stretching that precedes sheet formation and jet breakup. We show that the maximum extension prior to detachment is set by the mechanical work transmitted from the wire through capillary traction at the three-phase contact line, balanced by viscous dissipation during filament extension. This energetic balance identifies the contact line as the pathway by which mechanical impulse is converted into capillary deformation and governs impulsive droplet detachment.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_26407
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Impulse-driven capillary detachment
Maity, Dilip Kr.
Dighe, Sandip
Sahoo, Nilamani
Truscott, Tadd
Fluid Dynamics
Capillary interfaces subjected to impulsive forcing arise in many natural and technological systems, yet the pathway by which rapid substrate motion is converted into droplet detachment remains unclear. Here we study this process in a controlled setting: a liquid droplet resting on a taut wire that is plucked and suddenly released. The resulting transverse wave imparts a brief inertial forcing at the droplet base, initiating rapid stretching that precedes sheet formation and jet breakup. We show that the maximum extension prior to detachment is set by the mechanical work transmitted from the wire through capillary traction at the three-phase contact line, balanced by viscous dissipation during filament extension. This energetic balance identifies the contact line as the pathway by which mechanical impulse is converted into capillary deformation and governs impulsive droplet detachment.
title Impulse-driven capillary detachment
topic Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.26407