Abstract

Soft matter flows often display hydrodynamic singularities driven by the interplay of several forces, such as capillarity, inertia, viscosity, and elasticity. This talk explores these singularities across drops, bubbles, and thin films, drawing on experiments, direct simulations, and theory. First, we investigate Worthington jets formed by drop impacts on superhydrophobic substrates, where discrete peaks in normal force signal singular events. Next, we examine bursting bubbles in Newtonian and viscoelastic media, linking elastic and viscous stresses to jet formation and droplet generation. Lastly, for retracting liquid films, we show that the classical Taylor–Culick retractions feature singular limits owing to viscous anomaly in the Newtonian and elastic stress blowup in the elastic limit. We explore the multidimensional phase space and uncover novel insights into the physics governing these systems. The insights developed have direct implications for designing manufacturing processes, controlling droplet transport, and mitigating pathogen dispersal.