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Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan

  MSE / Research / Projects / Complex Fluids under Compressive Strains

Complex Fluids under Compressive Strains

Materials: Nanomaterials Organic
Application: Nanotechnology Structural Electronic
Technique: Processing Characterization

Fluids are commonly exposed to compressive strains/stresses. For simple Newtonian fluids and even power law, models exist to predict the squeeze flow of these materials vs. compressive force. All models assume a homogenous single phase fluid, however complex fluids, specifically electrorheological fluids, are not homogenous but a composite of aggregated particle columns and interstitial matrix fluid. Under compression, the particle structures deform as solids whereas the fluids deform according to Newton's Law. Thus when the columns of particles are long and thin, the fluid would primarily determine the stress whereas when the columns are short and broad, then they would dominate the behavior. There are no models to predict the behavior in this case. In this project we will clarify the rheological behavior of these systems phenominologically and theoretically.


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