Surface instability maps for soft materials

Abstract

We simulate and analyze the instability of wrinkles and creases in highly deformable soft materials using a robust method of point perturbation of free surfaces. This method enables us to identify the distinct regimes of wrinkle and crease instability in soft materials such as elastomers and hydrogels, and to ascertain the critical conditions for the onset of these two modes of instability. Furthermore, we show a wide range of perturbation that encompasses Biot's linear stability analysis on surface instability and beyond. This approach provides a practical route for experimentalists in their investigations on surface instabilities, particularly crease instability. © 2010 The Royal Society of Chemistry.