Normal stresses in surface shear experiments

When viscoelastic bulk phases are sheared, the deformation of the sample induces not only shear stresses, but also normal stresses. This is a well known and well understood effect, that leads to phenomena such as rod climbing, when such phases are stirred with an overhead stirrer, or to die swell in extrusion. Viscoelastic interfaces share many commonalities with viscoelastic bulk phases, with respect to their response to deformations. There is however little experimental evidence that shear deformations of interfaces can induce in-plane normal stresses (not to be confused with stresses normal to the interface). Theoretical models for the stress-deformation behavior of complex fluid-fluid interfaces subjected to shear, predict the existence of in-plane normal stresses. In this paper we suggest methods to confirm the existence of such stresses experimentall

Generalized surface momentum balances for the analysis of surface dilatational data

Dilatational rheological properties of interfaces are often determined using drop tensiometers, in which the interface of the droplet is subjected to oscillatory area changes. A dynamic surface tension is determined either by image analysis of the droplet profile or by measuring the capillary pressure. Both analysis modes tend to use the Young-Laplace equation for determining the dynamic surface tension. For complex fluid-fluid interfaces there is experimental evidence that this equation does not describe the response of the interface to deformations adequately. Generalizations of this equation are available, and in this comment we will discuss these generalizations, and the conditions for which they reduce to the Young-Laplace equatio

Modeling interfacial dynamics using nonequilibrium thermodynamics frameworks

In recent years several nonequilibrium thermodynamic frameworks have been developed capable of describing the dynamics of multiphase systems with complex microstructured interfaces. In this paper we present an overview of these frameworks. We will discuss interfacial dynamics in the context of the classical irreversible thermodynamics, extended irreversible thermodynamics, extended rational thermodynamics, and GENERIC framework, and compare the advantages and disadvantages of these framework

Dynamic surface tension of complex fluid-fluid interfaces: A useful concept, or not?

Dilatational moduli are typically determined by subjecting interfaces to oscillatory area deformations, and are often defined in terms of the difference between the dynamic or transient surface tension of the interface (the surface tension in its deformed state), and the surface tension of the interface in its non-deformed state. Here we will discuss the usefulness of the dynamic surface tension concept in the characterization of dilatational properties of complex fluid-fluid interfaces. Complex fluid-fluid interfaces are interfaces stabilized by components which form mesophases (two-dimensionional gels, glasses, or (liquid) crystalline phases), as a result of in-plane interactions between the components. We will show that for such interfaces dilatational properties are not exclusively determined by the exchange of surface active components between interface and adjoining bulk phases, but also by in-plane viscoelastic stresses. The separation of these contributions remains a challenging problem which remains to be solve

Protein transfer to membranes upon shape deformation

Red blood cells, milk fat droplets, or liposomes all have interfaces consisting of lipid membranes. These particles show significant shape deformations as a result of flow. Here we show that these shape deformations can induce adsorption of proteins to the membrane. Red blood cell deformability is an important factor in several diseases involving obstructions of the microcirculatory system, and deformation induced protein adsorption will alter the rigidity of their membranes. Deformation induced protein transfer will also affect adsorption of cells onto implant surfaces, and the performance of liposome based controlled release systems. Quantitative models describing this phenomenon in biomaterials do not exist. Using a simple quantitative model, we provide new insight in this phenomenon. We present data that show convincingly that for cells or droplets with diameters upwards of a few micrometers, shape deformations induce adsorption of proteins at their interface even at moderate flow rate

Shear-induced aggregation and break up of fibril clusters close to the percolation concentration

To probe the behaviour of fibrillar assemblies of ovalbumin under oscillatory shear, close to the percolation concentration, cp (7.5%), rheo-optical measurements and Fourier transform rheology were performed. Different results were found close to cp (7.3%), compared to slightly further away from cp (6.9 and 7.1%). For 6.9 and 7.1%, a decrease in complex viscosity, and a linear increase in birefringence, n, with increasing strain was observed, indicating deformation and orientation of the fibril clusters. For 7.3%, a decrease in complex viscosity was followed by an increase in complex viscosity with increasing strain, which coincided with a strong increase in n, dichroism, n, and the intensity of the normalized third harmonic (I3/I1). This regime was followed by a second decrease in complex viscosity, where n,n and I3/I1 decreased. In the first regime where the viscosity was decreasing with increasing strain, deformation and orientation of existing clusters takes place. At higher oscillatory shear, a larger deformation occurs and larger structures are formed, which is most likely aggregation of the clusters. Finally, at even higher strains, the clusters break up again. An increase in complex viscosity, n, n and I3/I1 was observed when a second strain sweep was performed 30 min after the first. This indicates that the shear-induced cluster formation and break up are not completely reversible, and the initial cluster size distribution is not recovered after cessation of flow

Electric Birefringence Study of an Amyloid Fibril System: the Short End of the Length Distribution

In this article, a system of amyloid fibrils, based on the protein ß-lactoglobulin, is studied by transient electric birefringence. Single pulses of an electric field were applied to the solution, and the initial rise and subsequent decay of birefringence analysed. The decay takes place on a range of relaxation times, and therefore contains information about the length distribution of fibrils in the system. The information can be extracted using theories of the electric polarisability of polyelectrolyte rods, since the fibrils are an example of these. Despite the long-standing complications of such theories, useful quantitative information about the system can still be obtained. Using the Fixman model of polyelectrolyte polarisability, we obtain a measurement of the short end of the length distribution which shows the fibril concentration as a function of length rising linearly from 0.02¿2¿m. The short end of the length distribution was unobtainable in our previous study using rheo-optics (Rogers S. S. et al., Macromolecules 38, 2948 (2005), Iss. 8), but reasonable agreement between the two techniques shows they are complementary

Engineering of acidic O/W emulsions with pectin

Pectins with distinct molecular design were isolated by aqueous extraction at pH 2.0 or 6.0 and were examined in terms of their formation and stabilisation capacity of model n-alkane–in–water emulsions at acidic pH (pH 2.0). The properties and stability of the resulting emulsions were examined by means of droplet size distribution analysis, Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner modelling, bulk rheology, interfacial composition analysis, large-amplitude oscillatory surface dilatational rheology, electrokinetic analysis and fluorescence microscopy. Both pectin preparations were able to emulsify alkanes in water but exhibited distinct ageing characteristics. Emulsions prepared using pectin isolated at pH 6.0 were remarkably stable with respect to droplet growth after thirty days of ageing, while those prepared with pectin isolated at pH 2.0 destabilised rapidly. Examination of chemical composition of interfacial layers indicated multi-layered adsorption of pectins at the oil-water interface. The higher long-term stability of emulsions prepared with pectin isolated at high pH is attributed to mechanically stronger interfaces, the highly branched nature and the low hydrodynamic volume of the chains that result in effective steric stabilisation whereas acetyl and methyl contents do not contribute to the long-term stability. The present work shows that it is possible by tailoring the fine structure of pectin to engineer emulsions that operate in acidic environments