Deformation of a free interface pierced by a tilted cylinder: Variation of the contact angle

We investigate the effects of the contact angle θwθw, and the angle of inclination θi on the interaction between an infinite cylinder and a free fluid–fluid interface governed only by its surface tension. We describe a numerical method to calculate the deformation of the interface, and use it to validate a theory for the force on the cylinder based only on knowledge of the interface shape where it meets the cylinder.

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► We measure the deformation of a free fluid–fluid interface pierced by a rigid cylinder.
► A model for the force of interaction is derived for all contact angles and all inclination angles.
► Expressions for the resulting shape of the interface and the contact line are given.