Macromolecular relaxation, strain, and extensibility determine elastocapillary thinning and extensional viscosity of polymer solutions.

ABSTRACT: Delayed capillary break-up of viscoelastic filaments presents scientific and technical challenges relevant for drop formation, dispensing, and adhesion in industrial and biological applications. The flow kinematics are primarily dictated by the viscoelastic stresses contributed by the polymers that are stretched and oriented in a strong extensional flow field resulting from the streamwise gradients created by the capillarity-driven squeeze flow. After an initial inertiocapillary (IC) or viscocapillary (VC) regime, where elastic effects seem to play no role, the interplay of capillarity and viscoelasticity can lead to an elastocapillary (EC) response characterized by exponentially-slow thinning of neck radius (extensional relaxation time is determined from the delay constant). Less frequent

SUBMITTER: Dinic J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6500132 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature