Fractal approaches to characterize the structure of capillary suspensions using rheology and confocal microscopy.

ABSTRACT: The rheological properties of a particle suspension can be substantially altered by adding a small amount of a secondary fluid that is immiscible with the bulk phase. The drastic change in the strength of these capillary suspensions arises due to the capillary forces, induced by the added liquid, leading to a percolating particle network. Using rheological scaling models, fractal dimensions are deduced from the yield stress and from oscillatory strain amplitude sweep data as function of the solid volume fraction. Exponents obtained using aluminum-oxide-based capillary suspensions, with a preferentially wetting secondary fluid, indicate an increase in the particle gel's fractal dimension with increasing particle size. This may be explained by a corresponding relative reduction in the capill

SUBMITTER: Bossler F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5830082 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature