Interfacial Dynamics in Dual Channels: Inspired by Cuttlebone

The cuttlebone, a chambered gas-filled structure found in cuttlefish, serves a crucial role in buoyancy control for the animal. This study investigates the motion of liquid-gas interfaces within cuttlebone-inspired artificial channels. The cuttlebone’s unique microstructure, characterized by chambers divided by vertical pillars, exhibits interesting fluid dynamics at small scales while pumping water in and out. Various channels were fabricated with distinct geometries, mimicking cuttlebone features, and subjected to different pressure drops. The behavior of the liquid-gas interface was explored, revealing that channels with pronounced waviness facilitated more non-uniform air-water interfaces. Here, Lyapunov exponents were employed to characterize interface separation, and they indicated more differential motions with increased pressure drops. Channels with greater waviness and amplitude exhibited higher Lyapunov exponents, while straighter channels exhibited slower separation. This is potentially aligned with cuttlefish’s natural adaptation to efficient water transport near the membrane, where more straight channels are observed in real cuttlebone.