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Wrinkling, Folding, And Snapping Instabilities In Polymer Films, Douglas Peter Holmes

Open Access Dissertations

This work focuses on understanding deformation mechanisms and responsiveness associated with the wrinkling, folding, and snapping of thin polymer films. We demonstrated the use of elastic instabilities in confined regimes, such as the crumpling and snapping of surface attached sheets. We gained fundamental insight into a thin film's ability to localize strain. By taking advantage of geometric strain localization we were able to develop new strategies for responsive surfaces that will have a broad impact on adhesive, optical, and patterning applications. Using the rapid closure of the Venus flytrap's leafets as dictated by the onset of a snap instability as …