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Polymeric filament thinning and breakup in microchannels
P E Arratia1, J P Gollub, D J Durian
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Summary
Adding a low polymer concentration to a fluid significantly alters its stretching and breakup behavior in microchannels. Elasticity causes slower thinning and distinct drop formation compared to simple viscous fluids.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Rheology
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Filament thinning and breakup are critical phenomena in various industrial processes.
- Understanding the role of elasticity in fluid dynamics is essential for process optimization.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of elasticity on filament thinning and breakup in microchannel cross-flow.
- To compare the behavior of a low-concentration polymer solution with a Newtonian fluid.
Main Methods:
- Microchannel cross-flow experiments were conducted.
- Filament thickness evolution was measured over time.
- Extensional viscosity was determined from thinning behavior.
Main Results:
- Polymeric filaments exhibited slower thinning and complex morphology (multiple connected drops) compared to Newtonian fluids.
- Two distinct thinning regimes were observed: flow-driven (exponential decay) and capillary-driven (algebraic decay).
- Polymeric fluids showed a unique crossover to a second flow-driven regime influenced by viscoelastic stresses.
Conclusions:
- Elasticity, even at low polymer concentrations, profoundly influences filament breakup dynamics.
- The observed thinning behaviors allow for the measurement of extensional viscosities for both Newtonian and polymeric fluids.
- This study provides insights into viscoelastic fluid behavior under extensional flow conditions.
