High shear rate capillary rheology of rod-like viruses

Complex fluids composed of long filaments, such as many polymeric and worm-like micellar fluids, undergo significant microstructural changes as they are sheared, resulting in strong shear thinning behavior, shear banding, and other flow instabilities. In order to simultaneously measure structural changes and flow properties, we use capillary \textmu rheo-SANS to study solutions of Fd bacteriophage, a model rod-like fluid system. As we push towards very high shear rates, we measure the dependence of microstructural quantities, such as pair correlations and rotational diffusion coefficients, on shear rate, flexibility, and other factors, and aim to connect them to the fluid's rheological properties.