Rheo-NMR of complex fluids under startup, steady state and large amplitude oscillatory shear

Abstract

Fluids are categorized as either simple or complex based on the intricacy of their structure and material response to deformation. Simple fluids composed of small molecules subject to deformation, readily flow with linear interaction dynamics with neighboring molecules. In contrast complex fluids like polymers, micelle solutions, colloidal gels and suspensions, composed of larger molecules or particulates alter the dynamics of individual constituents during deformation, requiring complicated constitutive models. Complex fluids are encountered daily, as they are found in consumer products such as food, pharmaceutical and personal care products. Knowing flow characteristics of these consumer products and their raw materials under industrially applicable deformations enables engineers to design efficient industrial processes and to formulate products to desired qualities. While classical rheology (the study of the flow and deformation of matter) techniques give good estimation of stress-strain bulk flow response, it fails to provide local flow information. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) has been used to measure spatially and temporally resolved velocities of fluids subject to mechanical deformation. This research field is known as 'Rheo-NMR' and is a novel flow measuring technique in that it is non-invasive and able to quantify three-dimensional velocity fields even of opaque fluids. Velocity responses of complex fluids like worm-like micelle solutions, yield stress fluids and shear thinning fluids were studied under varied mechanisms of deformation and were compared to the responses of simple Newtonian fluids. How local velocities of the fluids change over time when a steady shear is applied suddenly, how the velocity fields are affected on applying large oscillatory shear deformations and how using different shearing geometries impacts the local flow response were explored. Using Rheo-NMR techniques, experimental protocols to study spatio-temporal velocity fields of complex fluids were developed and data analysis methods for quantifying such measurements were established.