Torsional rigidity of a Plateau border (Q1267598)

The cross section of struts in an open-cell foam is reminiscent of the Plateau borders in gas-liquid foams, and typically have the shape of a convex equilateral triangle. Plateau borders form where liquid accumulates along the edges of polyhedral gas bubbles where pressure is reduced because of interfacial curvature. The triangular shape results from three thin films, which define the faces of polyhedral bubbles, meeting at each edge. Elimination of thin films and solidification transforms the Plateau borders into the network of struts in an open cell foam. In this communication we provide results of both an analytical and a numerical analysis of the elastic torsional rigidity of these struts.