Dissipation and moving contact lines on non-rigid substrates

We consider the dynamics of spreading of silicon oil droplets on elastomer thin films, and the associated relaxation of the advancing contact angle. Although the viscoelastic breaking of the droplet is observed on bulk elastomers, according to the studies of Shanahan and coworkers [C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris 317 (1993) 1153], we show that the breaking progressively disappears as the elastomer film thins. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.