MAE Seminar – Exploring Three-Dimensional Self-similarity: From Falling Films to Failing Elastomers

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MAE Seminar – Exploring Three-Dimensional Self-similarity: From Falling Films to Failing Elastomers

Dear Undergraduate and Graduate Students, Faculty, and Staff,
You are invited! UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering’s Seminar Series
This is a perfect opportunity to enjoy some coffee, cookies, and captivating talks! These sessions feature amazing guest speakers, from academic trailblazers and industry movers to our very own faculty candidates showing off their expertise and fresh perspectives.
Come for the treats, stay for the engaging discussions, and connect with fellow MAE enthusiasts. Everyone is welcome!

Feb 4, 2025, at 12:50pm, Location: MAE-A 303

Dr. Nan Xue
Postdoctoral researcher
Department of Physics
Cornell University

Abstract
This presentation explores the power of self-similarity in understanding complex phenomena in fluid and solid mechanics. I will discuss two distinct experimental investigations unified by this concept. First, I will demonstrate how a draining thin liquid film’s spatiotemporal evolution near a vertical plate edge can be elegantly captured by a novel similarity solution. This approach remarkably simplifies a complex nonlinear partial differential equation (of three independent variables!) into an ordinary differential equation, validated by experimental data. Second, I will showcase a unique three-dimensional fracturing process in soft materials (elastomers). At engineering strains exceeding 200%, failure is driven by the growth of self-similar edge cracks. These cracks, influenced by strain-stiffening, propagate and merge, leading to ultimate failure. This research offers new insights into material toughening strategies by manipulating geometry and hyperelastic properties. These examples highlight how identifying and leveraging self-similarity provides powerful analytical tools and reveals fundamental physical mechanisms with broad engineering implications.

Biography
Nan Xue received his B.S. in Engineering Mechanics from Tsinghua University, China, in 2015. He then pursued his doctoral studies at Princeton University, USA, under the supervision of Professor Howard A. Stone, focusing on a variety of gravity-driven flows within fluid mechanics. He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2021, graduating with the honorific Charlotte Elizabeth Procter Fellowship. Subsequently, Dr. Xue joined Professor Eric R. Dufresne’s group at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, where he contributed to research on soft materials. In 2023, he continued his work with the Dufresne Lab during their transition to Cornell University, USA, playing a key role in establishing the new laboratory. His current research interests lie in understanding the mechanics of living systems, with a particular focus on mycelium networks.

MAE Faculty Host: Amor Menezes