Droplet Dynamics of a Flowing Emulsion System in a Narrow Channel

ORAL

Abstract

The inner workings of glassy systems have long been a topic of interest for soft material scientists. Similarities between the jamming behavior of emulsions and the glass transition of glassy systems have prompted the conjecture that they might share the same underlying mechanism. Here we study a dense oil-in-water emulsion system forced to flow through a narrow microchannel. By matching the index of refraction of the two phases, the internal dynamics of the droplets could be imaged in a confocal microscope. At low flow speeds, the velocity along the edge of the microchannel was not significantly different than the average droplet velocity in the bulk, suggesting a nearly plug flow. By contrast the droplets near the edge experienced more movement perpendicular to the flow indicating the fluidization effect of the confining walls.

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Authors

  • Olivia Cypull

    James Madison University

  • Jonathan Tan

    Duquesne University, Baker Hughes, Hampton University, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Texas Christian University, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Austin Peay State University, Virginia Military Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University of Virginia, Washington University, National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Japan, Univ of Kentucky, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Univ of Virginia, James Madison University, Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, High Point University, Department of Chemistry, High Point University, Department of Physics, James Madison University, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, Institute of Renewable Energy and Environment Technology, University of Bolton, Bolton, UK, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, Ames Laboratory, US Dept. of Energy, Ames, IA, Lehigh University, University of Pardubice, Universite de Rennes, Jan Dlugosz University, Translume, NSCL/FRIB, Duke University, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, University of St. Andrews, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, University of Florida, Yale University, None, Georgia College & State Univ, Georgia College & State University, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), Univ of Tennessee Space Inst, The University of Virginia, Chiang Mai University, DHA Suffa University, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN, United States, George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, Department of Physics, University of Virginia, Istanbul University, Georgia College and State University, University of Houston, Western Kentucky Univ, James Madison University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Pontifica Universidad Catolica de Chile, Trent University, Univ of Arizona, Ohio State University, NRAO, University of Virginia/NRAO