Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Liquid-cell Transmission Electron Microscopy for Tracking Self-assembly of Nanoparticles
Published on: October 16, 2017
Effect of Shear Flow on Nanoparticles Migration near Liquid Interfaces
Ali Daher1,2, Amine Ammar1, Abbas Hijazi2
1LAMPA, ENSAM Angers, 2 Boulevard du Ronceray, BP 93525, CEDEX 01, 49035 Angers, France.
Shear flow significantly enhances nanoparticle migration to liquid-liquid interfaces. Applying shear flow increases nanoparticle accumulation at the interface, with duration and rate impacting migration effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Multiphase flow dynamics
- Nanoparticle behavior in complex fluids
- Interfacial phenomena
Background:
- Understanding nanoparticle behavior at fluid interfaces is crucial for applications in materials science and nanotechnology.
- Shear flow is a common condition in many industrial processes involving multiphase fluids and nanoparticles.
- Predicting nanoparticle migration requires accurate modeling of fluid interfaces and nanoparticle-fluid interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of shear flow on the migration of spherical nanoparticles (NPs) towards a liquid-liquid interface.
- To analyze how different shear rates and durations influence NP accumulation at the interface.
- To compare NP migration in pre-separated fluids versus fluids undergoing phase separation.
Main Methods:
- Numerical simulation using a compact model.
- Diffuse interface method for modeling two immiscible fluids.
- Molecular dynamics method for simulating nanoparticle motion.
Main Results:
- Without shear, 30% of NPs migrate to the interface due to composition gradients.
- Shear flow (Péclet number Pe = 0.316) increases NP accumulation at the interface to 66%.
- Both shear rate and shearing time significantly affect NP migration; prolonged low shear can match short high shear.
Conclusions:
- Shear flow is a critical factor in enhancing nanoparticle migration to liquid-liquid interfaces.
- The timing and intensity of shear flow play crucial roles in controlling NP accumulation.
- In mixed fluids, shear can hinder NP migration by interfering with phase separation.
More Related Videos
09:08Measuring Material Microstructure Under Flow Using 1-2 Plane Flow-Small Angle Neutron Scattering
Published on: February 6, 2014
11:51Visually Based Characterization of the Incipient Particle Motion in Regular Substrates: From Laminar to Turbulent Conditions
Published on: February 22, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Newtonian Fluid: Problem Solving
A velocity gradient forms within the fluid when a Newtonian fluid is placed between two parallel plates, with...
Navier–Stokes Equations
Couette Flow
Viscosity
The SI unit of viscosity is...
Steady, Laminar Flow Between Parallel Plates
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions
The Eulerian method focuses on fixed points in space where fluid properties, such as velocity, pressure, and temperature, are observed as the fluid moves between these...