Speaker
Dr
Robert Style
(Yale University)
Description
Solid surface tension is typically ignored, but can be very important in soft solids. It acts to minimise surface area, and can significantly change how the solids behave. I will talk about its role in determining the mechanical properties of soft composites. We make soft composites by embedding small inclusions in soft gels - with the aim of understanding how the composite microstructure controls is mechanical properties. Classical theory for composite behaviour works when the inclusions are sufficiently large, but below a critical lengthscale, it breaks down: surprisingly, making small holes in a soft material can actually stiffen, rather than soften the material. I will demonstrate how these strange effects are caused by solid surface tension.
Author
Dr
Robert Style
(Yale University)
