M. Saad Bhamla

Interfacial mechanisms for stability of surfactant-laden films.

Thin liquid films are central to everyday life. They are ubiquitous in modern technology (pharmaceuticals, coatings), consumer products (foams, emulsions) and also serve vital biological functions (tear film of the eye, pulmonary surfactants in the lung). A common feature in all these examples is the presence of surface-active molecules at the air-liquid interface. Though they form only molecular-thin layers, these surfactants produce complex surface stresses on the free surface, which have important consequences for the dynamics and stability of the underlying thin liquid film. Here we conduct simple thinning experiments to explore the fundamental mechanisms that allow the surfactant molecules to slow the gravity-driven drainage of the underlying film. We present a simple model that works for both soluble and insoluble surfactant systems in the limit of negligible adsorption-desorption dynamics. We show that surfactants with finite surface rheology influence bulk flow through viscoelastic interfacial stresses, while surfactants with inviscid surfaces achieve stability through opposing surface-tension induced Marangoni flows.

Influence of Lipid Coatings on Surface Wettability Characteristics of Silicone Hydrogels

Insoluble lipids serve vital functions in our bodies and interact with biomedical devices, e.g., the tear film on a contact lens. Over a period of time, these naturally occurring lipids form interfacial coatings that modify the wettability characteristics of these foreign synthetic surfaces. In this study, we examine the deposition and consequences of tear film lipids on silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lenses. We use bovine meibum, which is a complex mixture of waxy esters, cholesterol esters, and lipids that is secreted from the meibomian glands located on the upper and lower eyelids of mammals. For comparison, we study two commercially available model materials: dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesterol. Upon deposition, we find that DPPC and meibum remain closer to the SiHy surface than cholesterol, which diffuses further into the porous SiHy matrix. In addition, we also monitor the fate of unstable thin liquid films that consequently rupture and dewet on these lipid-decorated surfaces. This dewetting provides valuable qualitative and quantitative information about the wetting characteristics of these SiHy substrates. We observe that decorating the SiHy surface with simple model lipids such as DPPC and cholesterol increases the hydrophilicity, which consequently inhibits dewetting, whereas meibum behaves conversely.

The principles of cascading power limits in small, fast biological and engineered systems

Hop, skip, jump, or massive leap In biological and engineered systems, an inherent trade-off exists between the force and velocity that can be delivered by a muscle, spring, or combination of the two. However, one can amplify the maximum throwing power of an arm by storing the energy in a bow or sling shot with a latch mechanism for sudden release. Ilton et al. used modeling to explore the performance of motor-driven versus spring-latch systems in engineering and biology across size scales. They found a range of general principles that are common to animals, plants, fungi, and machines that use elastic structures to maximize kinetic energy. Science, this issue p. eaao1082 Combining motors, springs, and latches offers many routes to optimization of mechanical power in biological and engineered systems. INTRODUCTION Mechanical power, whether for launched missiles or running humans, is limited by the universal, physical trade-off between force and velocity. However, many biological systems use power-amplifying mechanisms that enable unmatched accelerations in challenging environments and across a wide range of size scales. How these mechanisms actually enhance power output remains unclear. Power-amplified biological systems are of particular interest because they achieve a trio of combined capabilities that exceed current engineering performance: (i) high accelerations that (ii) can be continuously fueled through metabolic processes and (iii) are used repeatedly with minimal performance degradation throughout the life of the organism. Although engineers have struggled to design lightweight and long-lasting devices that can deliver high power output, biological systems have been performing such feats for millions of years and using these systems for a myriad of functions. RATIONALE Through a mathematical analysis that is equally applicable to biological and synthetic systems, we investigate how power enhancement emerges through the dynamic coupling of motors, springs, latches, and projectiles and relate the findings to data on existing biological and engineered systems. The model incorporates nonideal behavior of spring and latch systems in a scalable framework using both dimensional and dimensionless approaches. RESULTS Motors, springs, and latches all experience force-velocity trade-offs, and their integration exemplifies the cascading effects of power limits. Springs circumvent motor power limits when projectile mass is small and the motor’s force-velocity dynamics limit performance. However, springs also exhibit force-velocity trade-offs when their mass, mechanical properties, and time dependence are incorporated. Latches dynamically modulate spring power through variation in latch shape and velocity. Motor-driven and spring-driven movements are distinct in their transitions across performance (power, maximum velocity, and duration), which are largely dictated by projectile mass. When analyzed as a single, integrated system, the necessity for tuning and inherent tunability are evident. Simply increasing the force output of a motor does not enhance performance; the spring and latch capacities must also shift. Simply decreasing the size of the system also does not enhance performance; spring energy storage falls off at smaller scales due to the effects of materials, stiffness, and geometry. With this mathematical foundation of scaling and integration, we apply a new lens to patterns of biological scaling limits and propose new design principles for integrated and tuned systems. CONCLUSION Our model reveals a foundational framework for the scaling, synthetic design, and evolutionary diversification of power-amplified systems. The model enables a straightforward approach to analyzing biological systems, encourages a rich design space and functionality for synthetic systems, and highlights a compelling need for the integrative analysis of spring and latch dynamics in both synthetic and biological systems. Power-amplified biological and synthetic systems use spring elements to drive motion over a range of size scales. Mathematical modeling reveals a cascade of power limits and mass-dependent transitions in power delivery that arise from the integration of motors, springs, and latches to actuate movement. Variation of these components creates synergistic effects relevant to the analysis and synthesis of diverse power-amplified systems. Mechanical power limitations emerge from the physical trade-off between force and velocity. Many biological systems incorporate power-enhancing mechanisms enabling extraordinary accelerations at small sizes. We establish how power enhancement emerges through the dynamic coupling of motors, springs, and latches and reveal how each displays its own force-velocity behavior. We mathematically demonstrate a tunable performance space for spring-actuated movement that is applicable to biological and synthetic systems. Incorporating nonideal spring behavior and parameterizing latch dynamics allows the identification of critical transitions in mass and trade-offs in spring scaling, both of which offer explanations for long-observed scaling patterns in biological systems. This analysis defines the cascading challenges of power enhancement, explores their emergent effects in biological and engineered systems, and charts a pathway for higher-level analysis and synthesis of power-amplified systems.

Paperfuge: An ultralow-cost, hand-powered paper-centrifuge inspired by the mechanics of a whirligig toy

Sample preparation, including separation of plasma from whole blood or isolation of parasites, is an unmet challenge in many point of care (POC) diagnostics and requires centrifugation as the first key step. From the context of global health applications, commercial centrifuges are expensive, bulky and electricity-powered, leading to a critical bottle-neck in the development of decentralized, electricity-free POC diagnostic devices. By uncovering the fundamental mechanics of an ancient whirligig toy (3300 B.C.E), we design an ultra-low cost (20 cents), light-weight (2 g), human-powered centrifuge that is made out of paper (“paperfuge”). To push the operating limits of this unconventional centrifuge, we present an experimentally-validated theoretical model that describes the paperfuge as a non-linear, non-conservative oscillator system. We use this model to inform our design process, achieving speeds of 125,000 rpm and equivalent centrifugal forces of 30,000 g, with theoretical limits predicting one million rpm. We harness these speeds to separate pure plasma in less than 1.5 minutes and isolate malaria parasites in 15 minutes from whole human blood. By expanding the materials used, we implement centrifugal microfluidics using PDMS, plastic and 3D-printed devices, ultimately opening up new opportunities for electricity-free POC diagnostics, especially in resource-poor settings.