Static friction of liquid marbles

Abstract

Liquid marbles, droplets coated with a granular layer, are highly mobile as particles prevent capillary adhesion with the substrate. Yet, they exhibit static friction due to their granular shell, which resists rolling until it yields. This friction depends on the shell geometry and increases exponentially with grain density, indicating a logistic dependence of interparticle compressive forces on surface coverage, confirmed by yielding measurements in granular rafts. These results reveal the shell's dual role, and establish liquid marbles as a model system for probing granular raft mechanics.