Mathematical Sciences Department
Numerical Methods Seminar
Speaker: Sebastian Aland, Freiberg University of Mining and Technology, Germany
Monday, November 13, 2023
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Olin Hall 218
Host: Min Wu
Title: Droplets on soft substrates and biomembranes - Numerical simulation of soft wetting
Abstract: The contact of a deformable fluid surface with a deformable solid surface gives rise to a rich variety of phenomena, including topological changes. In this talk, I will present a computational model which is capable to shed some light on the process. The numerical method is based on a combination of the phase-field model for two-phase flow with an evolving finite-element method for the elastic structure. We demonstrate that this novel method is robust, flexible and accurate.
Finally, we connect numerical results to recent findings in cell biology and show that droplets interacting with biological membranes produce intriguing phenomena to fulfill specific cellular functions.