Bubble Formation in Yield Stress Fluids Using Flow-Focusing and T-Junction Devices

International audienceWe study the production of bubbles inside yield stress fluids (YSFs) in axisymmetric T-junction and flow-focusing devices. Taking advantage of yield stress over capillary stress, we exhibit a robust break-up mechanism reminiscent of the geometrical operating regime in 2D flow-focusing devices for Newtonian fluids. We report that when the gas is pressure driven, the dynamics is unsteady due to hydrodynamic feedback and YSF deposition on the walls of the channels. However, the present study also identifies pathways for potential steady-state production of bubbly YSFs at large scale

On the stability of the production of bubbles in yield-stress fluid using flow-focusing and T-junction devices

International audienceWe investigate experimentally the stability of bubble production in yield-stress fluids (YSF) and highly viscous silicone oil, using flow-focusing and T-junction devices. When the exit channel is initially pre-filled with the fluid and the gas is pressure-driven, the production is highly unstable, despite a regular frequency of bubble production in the junction. As observed for pressure-driven bubble trains in Newtonian fluids, we report that two mechanisms can explain these observations : (i) drastic reduction of the hydrodynamic pressure drop along the channel during the transient bubble production, which induces a rapid increase of the gas flow rate and (ii) thin film deposition resulting in a cascade of plug break-up and bubbles coalescence. While the drastic reduction of the pressure drop is inevitable in such two-phase flows, we show that modifying the surfaces of the channel can help stabilizing the system when the continuous phase is a YSF. To do so, we measure the thickness of the film deposited on the channel wall for rough and smooth channels. Our results are rationalized by introducing the inverse of the Bingham number Bi −1 comparing the viscous stress to the yield stress. For Bi −1 ≥ 1, a fast fluidization process associated to efficient deposition of YSF on the channel wall leads to a rapid destabilization of the bubble production. However, for Bi −1 < 1, the deposition driven by capillarity can be hindered by the wall-slip induced by the existence of the yield stress: the thickness of the deposited film is very thin and corresponds to the equivalent roughness of the channels. It is typically 40 µm thick for rough surfaces and below the limit of resolution of our setup for smooth surfaces. In this regime of Bi −1 and for smooth surfaces, the length of the plugs barely vanishes, thus the start-up flow is less prone to destabilization. These results therefore potentially open routes to steady production of aerated YSF on smooth channels in the regime of small Bi −1

Thermal conductivity and thermal boundary resistance of nanostructures

International audienceWe present a fabrication process of low-cost superlattices and simulations related with the heat dissipation on them. The influence of the interfacial roughness on the thermal conductivity of semiconductor/semiconductor superlattices was studied by equilibrium and non-equilibrium molecular dynamics and on the Kapitza resistance of superlattice's interfaces by equilibrium molecular dynamics. The non-equilibrium method was the tool used for the prediction of the Kapitza resistance for a binary semiconductor/metal system. Physical explanations are provided for rationalizing the simulation results

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Yield-stress fluids foams: flow patterns and controlled production in T-junction and flow-focusing devices

International audienceWe study the formation of yield-stress fluid foams in millifluidic flow-focusing and T-junction devices. First, we provide a phase diagram for the unsteady operating regimes of bubble production when the gas pressure and the yield-stress fluid flow rate are imposed. Three regimes are identified: a co-flow of gas and yield-stress fluid, a transient production of bubble and a flow of yield-stress fluid only. Taking wall slip into account, we provide a model for the pressure at the onset of bubble formation. Then, we detail and compare two simple methods to ensure steady bubble production: regulation of the gas pressure or flow-rate. These techniques, which are easy to implement, thus open pathways for controlled production of dry yield-stress fluid foams as shown at the end of this article

Simultaneous measurement of liquid absorbance and refractive index using a compact optofluidic probe

We present a novel optical technique for simultaneously measuring the absorbance and the refractive index of a thin film using an infrared optofluidic probe. Experiments were carried on two different liquids and the results agree with the bibliographical data. The ultimate goal is to achieve a multi-functional microoptical device for analytical applications

Yield-stress fluid deposition in circular channels

International audienceSince the pioneering works of Taylor and Bretherton, the thickness h of the film deposited behind a long bubble invading a Newtonian fluid is known to increase with the Capillary number power 2/3 (h ∼ RCa 2/3), where R is the radius of the circular tube and the Capillary number, Ca, comparing the viscous and capillary effects. This law, known as Bretherton law, is only valid in the limit of Ca < 0, 01 and negligible inertia and gravity. We revisit this classical problem when the fluid is a Yield-Stress Fluid (YSF) exhibiting both a yield stress and a shear-thinning behaviour. First, we provide quantitative measurement of the thickness of the deposited layer for Carbopol Herschel-Bulkley fluid in the limit where the yield-stress is of similar order of magnitude as the capillary pressure and for 0.1 < Ca < 1. To understand our observation, we use scaling arguments to extend the analytical expression of Bretherton's law to YSF in circular tubes. In the limit of Ca < 0, 1, our scaling law, in which the adjustable parameters are set using previous results concerning non-Newtonian fluid, successfully retrieves several features of the literature. First, it shows that (i) the thickness deposited behind a Bingham YSF (exhibiting a yield stress only) is larger than for a Newtonian fluid and (ii) the deposited layer increases with the amplitude of the yield stress. This is in quantitative agreement with previous numerical results concerning Bingham fluid. It also agrees with results concerning pure shear-thinning fluids in the absence of yield stress : the shear-thinning behaviour of the fluid reduces the deposited thickness as previously observed. Last, in the limit of vanishing velocity, our scaling law predicts that the thickness of deposited YSF converges towards a finite value, which presumably depends on the microstructure of the YSF, in agreement with previous research on the topic performed in different geometries. For 0.1 < Ca < 1,the scaling law fails to describe the data. In this limit, non-linear effects must be taken into account

A comparative study on the properties of potentially bioactive glasses obtained by sol-gel technique and by melting mixtures of oxides

Phosphocalcic glasses, based on ternary system SiO2 - CaO- P2O5 and those doped with copper (SiO2 ? CaO - P2O5 -Cu2O) can be obtained by the traditional method of sub-cooling melts or modern methods such as process that uses mechanical energy, neutrons action, deposition in thin layers or by sol-gel technique. This paper shows the experimental results of threecompositional phosphocalcic glasses: 50% SiO2 - 43% CaO - 7% P2O5 , 50% SiO2 - 38% CaO - 7% P2O5 - 5% Cu2O obtained through sol-gel method and 45% SiO2 - 22.5% CaO - 22.5 Na2O - 5% P2O5 - 5% Cu2O obtained by melting. In order to study their bioactivity, the three compositions were structural analyzed by X-ray diffraction method. In this case the apatite formation washighlighted after soaked in simulated body fluid, but also other compounds (CaCO3 and CuO) resulting from the same process were observed. In case of the melting glass apatite formation has not been highlighted. The functional groups present in the structure of glasses before and after soaking (PO43-, CO32- and HO-) were highlighted by the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). The elemental chemical composition was confirmed by elemental analysis WD-XRF. The morphology of sol-gel glass powders was revealed by SEM analysis. All glass compositions were tested in terms of antibacterial activity in vitro.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Static and Dynamic Aspects of Black Silicon Formation

International audienc