Rheology continuous-phase

The non-aqueous HIPEs showed similar properties to their water-containing counterparts. Examination by optical microscopy revealed a polyhedral, poly-disperse microstructure. Rheological experiments indicated typical shear rate vs. shear stress behaviour for a pseudo-plastic material, with a yield stress in evidence. The yield value was seen to increase sharply with increasing dispersed phase volume fraction, above about 96%. Finally, addition of water to the continuous phase was studied. This caused a decrease in the rate of decay of the emulsion yield stress over a period of time, and an increase in stability. The added water increased the strength of the interfacial film, providing a more efficient barrier to coalescence. 

A number of peculiar properties are displayed, including rheology characterised by viscoelasticity. Viscosities are far higher than that of either bulk phase this is a result of the large amount of energy required to deform the network of thin films of the continuous phase. A yield stress is observed, below which HIPEs behave as elastic solids and will not flow. Resistance to flow occurs from the inability of compressed droplets to easily slip past each other. Above the... 

Viscosity. This parameter can be monitored by standard rheological techniques. The rheological properties of emulsions, reviewed by Sherman (1983), can be complex, and depend on the identity of surfactants and oils used, ratio of disperse and continuous phase, particle size, and other factors. Flocculation will generally increase viscosity thus, monitoring viscosity on storage will be important for assessing shelf-life. 

Let us first consider an inverted W/O emulsion made of 10% of 0.1 M NaCl large droplets dispersed in sorbitan monooleate (Span 80), a liquid surfactant which also acts as the dispersing continuous phase. At this low droplet volume fraction, the rheological properties of the premixed emulsion is essentially determined by the continuous medium. The rheological behavior of the oil phase can be described as follows it exhibits a Newtonian behavior with a viscosity of 1 Pa s up to 1000 s 1 and a pronounced shear thinning behavior above this threshold value. Between 1000 s 1 and 3000 s1, although the stress is approximately unchanged, the viscosity ratio is increased by a factor of 4. 

Indirectly related to the cell models of this section is the work of Davis and Brenner (1981) on the rheological and shear stability properties of three-phase systems, which consist of an emulsion formed from two immiscible liquid phases (one, a discrete phase wholly dispersed in the other continuous phase) together with a third, solid, particulate phase dispersed within the interior of the discontinuous liquid phase. An elementary analysis of droplet breakup modes that arise during the shear of such three-phase systems reveals that the destabilizing presence of the solid particles may allow the technological production of smaller size emulsion droplets than could otherwise be produced (at the same shear rate). 

Chin B. D. and Park O. O., Rheology and microstructures of electrorheological fluids containing both dispersed particles and liquid drops in a continuous phase. J. Rheol 44 (2000) PP. 397-412. 

However, they may not indicate the true bulk viscosity of a suspension that forms a thin layer of the continuous phase (e.g., serum of tomato juice) around the immersed probe or when the probe is covered by a higher viscosity gel due to fouling. Vibrational viscometers are suitable for measuring viscosities of Newtonian fluids, but not the shear-dependent rheological behavior of a non-Newtonian fluid (e.g., to calculate values of the power law parameters). 

To examine the role of the starch granule and of the continuous phase on the dynamic rheological properties, two starches were selected (Genovese and Rao, 2003a) whose... 

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