Capillary Coalescence of Elastic Fibers Withdrawn from a Viscous Liquid

The deformation of slender objects by surface tension, an example of elastocapillarity, occurs at a variety of length scales with wide-ranging consequences in both nature and industry. We experimentally investigate the coalescence of arrays of fibers that are withdrawn from a liquid bath. We vary withdrawal speed, liquid viscosity, and fiber geometry and bending stiffness, then observe the effects on the coalescence process, the rise of liquid between the fibers, and volume captured. We rationalize our observations using theoretical models, relating measurements to characteristic length and time scales of the system and relevant dimensionless parameters such as the capillary number.