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Foams - tilings, flowers and defects

By: Paulo Teixeira
From: CFTC
At: Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar, Anfiteatro
[2010-06-30] 11:30

I shall review some theoretical and simulation results on dry, two-dimensional liquid foams. Starting with the general problem of what is the equilibrium structure of an infinite, periodic bidisperse foam, we move on to consider finite foams (i.e., bubble clusters). Particular attention will be paid to the effects of defects and their interactions on the energy, pressure and geometry of quasi-monodisperse clusters, and analogies will be drawn with crystalline solids and liquid crystals. I shall finish with a discussion of some work in progress, as well as of a few open questions.