Project description
Learning about capillary action in flexible structures from bees and hummingbirds
At small scale, the surface tension of liquids dominates gravity so that small droplets adopt a spherical shape. Surface tension may also deform slender structures. Tongues of some nectarivores, such as bees or hummingbirds, take advantage of this coupling between capillarity and elasticity to capture nectar. Nectar is a viscous fluid and common drinking strategies are hardly applicable at small scale. Better understanding of the physicochemical processes at play in nectar feeding may open the door to new applications in microfluidics. The EU-funded BioCapSoft project is developing advanced physical models of flexible capillary systems supported by experiments in biological and bioinspired systems.
Objective
Capturing fluids at small scales is a challenge that nectarivores have solved by developing various type of specialized tongues, which consist of a complex assembly of flexible structures of small size compared to the capillary length. Most of the physicochemical mechanisms allowing some of those animals to quickly feed on nectar are not yet fully understood. This project aims to understand the physical mechanisms underlying the efficient capture of nectar by bees and hummingbirds which results from the dynamical coupling between viscous flows, capillary forces and elasticity in hierarchical soft tongues.
To achieve this objective, model experiments are proposed. Mimicking hummingbirds’ tongues, I will first characterise the static closing of soft open tubes in contact with a specific amount of liquid. I will then study the dynamics when the same structure is dipped and removed from a fluid bath. In a second step, I will study the equilibrium shape and the dynamics of soft brushes and hairy surfaces dipped into a fluid bath, mimicking bumblebee’s tongue. The study of these systems will allow us to develop general physical models. The relevance of these models for describing the biological systems will be assessed by the direct comparison between the theoretical predictions and in-vivo measurements by setting the control parameters of the model systems to values compatible with the biological systems. This project will thus provide general models for the capture of viscous fluid through elastocapillary effects in some geometries inspired by biological systems.
Based on the insights gained from these model experiments and the comparison with in-vivo data, optimal soft structures will be designed to passively capture precise amount of viscous fluids at a controlled rate. The BioCapSoft project will thus contribute to a better understanding of the dynamical coupling between viscous flows, capillary forces and elasticity in soft impregnated structures.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
- natural sciences biological sciences zoology
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics dynamical systems
- natural sciences chemical sciences physical chemistry
- natural sciences mathematics applied mathematics mathematical model
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1050 Bruxelles / Brussel
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.