Axisymmetric wetting of a liquid droplet on a stretched elastic membrane

Abstract

Wetting of a liquid droplet on another liquid substrate is governed by the well-known Neumann equations. The present work aims to develop an explicit modified version of the Neumann equations for axisymmetric wetting of a liquid droplet on a highly stretched elastic membrane of non-zero bending rigidity. An explicit modified form of the Neumann equations is derived to determine the two contact angles, which is reduced to Young’s equation for a liquid droplet on a rigid membrane or to the Neumann equations for a liquid droplet on another liquid substrate. Further implications of the modified Neumann equations are examined by comparison with some previous results reported in the recent literature, particularly considering the ranges of material and geometrical parameters of the liquid droplet-membrane system which have not been recently addressed in the literature.