Static capillary structures and their stability

Abstract

This thesis examines the static equilibrium shapes and stability of various capillary surfaces. The equilibrium shapes are accurately approximated using asymptotic series solutions in the micro-gravity limit. The stability of two of these capillary surfaces is then examined using an energy functional method and these results corroborated using a linear stability analysis. Finally, a method of improving the stability of a vertical liquid bridge is examined numerically and experimentally. The problems considered in this thesis are motivated by a stent problem described in the rst chapter but, in fact, capillary phenomena are ubiquitous in science, nature and industry and the work here has wide reaching applications.