The rheology of structured materials
Description
In this work, the rheological properties of structured materials are studied via both theoretical (continuum mechanics and molecular theory) and experimental approaches Through continuum mechanics, a structural model, involving shear-induced structural breakdown and buildup, is extended to model biofluids. In particular, we study the cases of steady shear flow, hysteresis, yield stress, small amplitude oscillatory flow as well as non-linear viscoelasticity. Model predictions are successfully compared with experimental data on complex materials such as blood and a penicillin suspension Next, modifications are introduced into the network model. A new formulation involving non-affine motion is proposed and its applications are presented. The major improvement is that a finite elongational viscosity is predicted for finite elongational rate, contrary to infinite elongational viscosities existing at some elongational rates predicted by most previous network models. Comparisons with experimental data on shear viscosity, primary normal stress coefficient and elongational viscosity are given, in terms of the same set of model parameters. Model predictions for the stress growth are also shown. The model is successfully tested with data on a polyisobutylene solution (S1), on a polystyrene solution and on a poly-alpha-methylstyrene solution. A further extension of the network model is related to the prediction of the stress jump phenomenon which is defined as the instantaneous gain or loss of stress on startup or cessation of a deformation. It is not predicted by most existing models. In this work, the internal viscosity idea used in the dumbbell model is incorporated into the transient network model. Via appropriate approximations, a closed form constitutive equation, which predicts a stress jump, is obtained. Successful comparisons with the available stress jump measurements are given. In addition, the model yields good quantitative predictions of the standard steady, transient and dynamic material functions, for xanthan solutions and for polyacrylamide solutions The experimental part on the rheology of structured systems involves yield stress measurement of aqueous TiO2 pigment suspensions (40, 50, 60 and 70 wt.%), using (i) extrapolations, (ii) vane creep testing and stress ramp measurements and (iii) a modified plate technique. The data obtained via the techniques mentioned earlier are critically evaluated. It is established that the perforated plate technique removes the wall slip effect at the plate surface and provides a fast and easy way to evaluate yield stress