We examine the electrocapillary properties of a fluidic actuator composed of a liquid metal droplet that is submerged in electrolytic solution and attached to an elastic beam. The beam deflection is controlled by electrochemically driven changes in the surface energy of the droplet. The metal is a eutectic gallium-indium alloy that is liquid at room temperature and forms an nm-thin Ga 2 O 3 skin when oxidized. The effective surface tension of the droplet changes dramatically with oxidation and reduction, which are reversibly controlled by applying low voltage to the electrolytic bath. Wetting the droplet to two copper pads allows for a controllable tensile force to be developed between the opposing surfaces. We demonstrate the ability to reliably control force by changing the applied oxidizing voltage. Actuator forces and droplet geometries are also examined by performing a computational fluid mechanics simulation using Surface Evolver. The theoretical predictions are in qualitative agreement with the experimental measurements and provide additional confirmation that actuation is driven by surface tension.
The egg, larva, and pupa of Caurinus dectes are described and illustrated. Eggs are ellipsoidal, coated with black cement, and are attached to bryophytes. The larva is orthosomatic, with much-reduced thoracic legs, and further differs from other larval Boreidae in: amphipneustic spiracles, number of stemmata (7), placoid sensilla present in membrane of first antennal segment, and egg burster on frons in first instar. Three larval instars are recognized from analysis of head measurements and partial rearing. Larvae feed in stemmines or galleries in leafy liverworts (Jungermanniales). Pupation occurs in a silk-lined cell or cocoon, otherwise unknown in the Mecoptera; the pupa is exarate, with decticous mandibles. The seasonal occurrence of egg eclosion (February-March), pupation (July-August), and principal adult activity (October-April) is typical for the Boreidae, but only C. dectes is univoltine in this family. Successive annual generations appear to overlap through extended egg diapause and adult perenniation.
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