Dynamic elasto-capillarity in ternary immiscible flows

Elasto-capillarity involves the deformation of an elastic solid due to the capillary forces at a fluid-fluid interface. In recent years, multiple intriguing experiments involving elasto-capillary phenomena have been reported, including spontaneous migration of droplets on deformable surfaces with stiffness gradients (durotaxis) or strain gradients (tensotaxis), self-wrapping of liquid droplets when placed in contact with elastic membranes and wrinkling patterns arising due to the placement of liquid drops on ultra-thin sheets with low bending stiffness. However, the interaction of highly deformable solids with compound droplets has received less attention. Here, we develop a high-fidelity computational method that enables simulation of three-component flows with a nonlinear elastic solid. This talk will present multiple examples illustrating the complexity and richness of this system.