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Updated: Jul 6, 2025

Combining Microfluidics and Microrheology to Determine Rheological Properties of Soft Matter during Repeated Phase Transitions
Published on: April 19, 2018
Interfacial Fluid Rheology of Soft Particles
Maximilian M Schmidt1, José Ruiz-Franco2, Steffen Bochenek1
1Institute of Physical Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 2, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
Abstract:
In situ interfacial rheology and numerical simulations are used to investigate microgel monolayers in a wide range of packing fractions, ζ_{2D}. The heterogeneous particle compressibility determines two flow regimes characterized by distinct master curves. To mimic the microgel architecture and reproduce experiments, an interaction potential combining a soft shoulder with the Hertzian model is introduced. In contrast to bulk conditions, the elastic moduli vary nonmonotonically with ζ_{2D} at the interface, confirming long-sought predictions of reentrant behavior for Hertzian-like systems.
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