Pairwise frictional profile between particles determines discontinuous shear thickening transition in non-colloidal suspensions.

ABSTRACT: The process by which sheared suspensions go through a dramatic change in viscosity is known as discontinuous shear thickening. Although well-characterized on the macroscale, the microscopic mechanisms at play in this transition are still poorly understood. Here, by developing new experimental procedures based on quartz-tuning fork atomic force microscopy, we measure the pairwise frictional profile between approaching pairs of polyvinyl chloride and cornstarch particles in solvent. We report a clear transition from a low-friction regime, where pairs of particles support a finite normal load, while interacting purely hydrodynamically, to a high-friction regime characterized by hard repulsive contact between the particles and sliding friction. Critically, we show that the normal stress needed

SUBMITTER: Comtet J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5499204 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature