The liquid–liquid flow dynamics and droplet formation in a modified step T-junction microchannel

The droplet generation mechanism in the asymmetrically enhanced step T-junction remains unknown, especially for the transition stage from dripping to jetting regimes. In this work, the droplet generation mechanism was systematically investigated in a modified step T-junction by modulating a large flowrate range and altering different interfacial tensions. We found that under different fluid regimes, both the capillary number and flow rate ratio of continuous and dispersed phase showcase completely different impacts over droplet generation. In dripping regime, the interfacial tension, which was controlled by changing the surfactant concentration, dominated the formation mechanism when the surfactant concentration was found below micelle concentration. In jetting regime, our experimental results showed that the influence of the surfactant concentration on the size of generated droplets was rather negligible while the flow rate ratio of continuous and dispersed phase indeed determined such a parameter. In the dripping-jetting transition stage, an increase of droplet size was observed despite the increase of continuous phase flow. After reaching a peak, the droplet dimension started to decrease with the increase of continuous phase flow as expected. To the best for our knowledge, it is the first study to report generation mechanism in modified step T-junction from dripping to jetting regimes.     

Ternary fluid lattice Boltzmann simulation of dynamic interfacial tension induced by mixing inside microdroplets

A ternary fluid color-gradient lattice Boltzmann model is proposed to investigate the effect of mixing-induced dynamic interfacial tension on the diffusive mixing of two fluids inside microdroplets moving in a third continuous phase through a baffled channel. The diffusion coefficient of binary mixtures and dynamic interfacial tension in this model can be directly defined and independently adjusted. The simulation results show that the dynamic interfacial tension between miscible binary fluids at interfaces with ambient phase would lead to the motion of the interface and redistribution of solutes inside the droplet during mixing. The larger initial interfacial tension gradient would improve mixing efficiency at early stages by promoting faster solute flow. The present model can be easily applied to quantitatively characterize the mixing behavior inside droplets in the practical processes involving the dynamic interfacial tension phenomenon and inspire new designs for mixing intensification.     

混凝土单轴受拉断裂行为的近场动力学模拟

混凝土的宏观力学行为取决于材料组成及其性质。本文基于键基近场动力学理论建立了多相非均质性的混凝土细观尺度数值模型,研究了单轴拉伸作用下混凝土的宏观力学性能和断裂过程。通过改变粗骨料含量、砂浆强度、粗骨料强度以及界面过渡区强度对模型合理性进行了验证。结果表明:软化段之前的应力-应变曲线能够被很好重现,能准确描述混凝土在单轴拉伸作用下的力学性能和断裂过程;调整数值模型中各相材料的力学参数能够合理模拟出不同类型的混凝土在单轴拉伸作用下的断裂过程。     

WO3对零膨胀锂铝硅封接玻璃流动性的影响与作用机理

密封连接石英玻璃被广泛应用于航空航天、半导体加工以及微机电系统真空连接等领域。改进的低膨胀Li₂O-Al₂O₃-SiO₂(LAS)系微晶玻璃可以用于封接石英玻璃,但存在流动性不佳的难题。本文通过掺入WO₃对LAS系微晶玻璃进行改性,利用线膨胀系数分析仪、差示扫描量热仪、X射线衍射仪、高温烧结影像仪、扫描电镜,研究了掺入WO₃后LAS玻璃封接石英玻璃的机理。结果表明:WO₃对LAS玻璃的析晶产生先增强后削弱的影响; WO₃掺量越大,热膨胀系数越大,当掺量达到5.0%(质量分数)时,热膨胀系数提升至5.69×10^-7 ℃^-1;流动性与润湿性随着掺量增加而提升,铺展面积随掺量增加而增大,润湿角随掺量增加而减小,有效改善了LAS玻璃本身流动性不足的问题;LAS玻璃与石英玻璃之间主要是通过化学元素迁移实现封接。     

玄武岩复合材料筋增强ECC受拉性能及裂缝控制机理

工程水泥基复合材料(ECC)因其高韧性和多缝开裂特性成为研究热点,纤维复合材料(FRP)因具有抗拉强度高、密度小、耐腐蚀性好等优点而受到广泛关注。为研究玄武岩复合材料(BFRP)筋增强ECC(BFRP-ECC)的受拉性能以及筋材对基体的裂缝控制机理,考虑了基体类别和配筋率等因素,对ECC狗骨试件、BFRP-ECC和BFRP-砂浆薄板试件进行了单轴拉伸试验,同时借助数字图像相关法(DIC)技术获得了试件受拉过程中的全场应变和开裂状态,基于Richard的弹塑性应力应变公式提出了BFRP-ECC单轴受拉应力应变本构模型。结果表明:BFRP-ECC的极限拉应力随配筋率的增加而增大;ECC基体对复合材料的受拉性能增强效果优于砂浆基体,同时以ECC为基体的复合材料在裂缝间距和宽度控制上都明显优于以砂浆为基体的复合材料;BFRP筋能增加BFRP-ECC裂缝处的桥连应力,减小裂缝间距和宽度,增加裂缝数量。本文建立的BFRP-ECC单轴受拉应力应变本构模型与试验数据吻合良好,较好地反映了BFRP-ECC受拉应力应变关系。     

Co-adsorption behaviors of asphaltenes and different flow improvers and their impacts on the interfacial viscoelasticity

Commonly used flow improvers in oilfields, such as ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), poly(octadecyl acrylate) (POA), and polymethylsilsesquioxane (PMSQ) are proven to be effective to enhance the flowability of crude oil. However, the addition of these flow improvers may change the stability of the emulsion and make the crude oil treatment process challenging. In this research, the impacts of different flow improvers on the interfacial properties of the emulsions containing asphaltenes are systematically investigated. The co-adsorption behaviors of the flow improvers and asphaltenes are analyzed through dynamic interfacial tension (DIFT). The rheological properties of the interfacial layer after the adsorption are explored via dilational viscoelasticity. Significant difference is observed in the structural properties of the interface adsorbed by different flow improvers, which is attributed to different interactions between the flow improvers and asphaltenes. To investigate these interactions, conductivity, asphaltenes precipitation, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and contact angle experiments are conducted systematically. Results show that EVA and POA can alter the interfacial properties by changing the asphaltene dispersion state. The interaction between EVA and asphaltenes is stronger than that between POA and asphaltenes due to the difference in molecular structures. Unlike EVA and POA, the change of interfacial property with the addition of PMSQ is attributed to the partial adsorption of asphaltenes on PMSQ.     

Determination of interfacial tension and viscosity under dripping flow in a step T-junction microdevice

Microfluidic approaches for the determination of interfacial tension and viscosity of liquid-liquid systems still face some challenges. One of them is liquid-liquid systems with low interfacial and high viscosity, because dripping flow in normal microdevices can't be easily realized for the systems. In this work, we designed a capillary embedded step T-junction microdevice to develop a modified microfluidic approach to determine the interfacial tension of several systems, specially, for the systems with low interfacial tension and high viscosity. This method combines a classical T-junction geometry with a step to strengthen the shear force further to form monodispersed water/oil (w/o) or aqueous two-phase (ATP) droplet under dripping flow. For systems with low interfacial tension and high viscosity, the operating range for dripping flow is relative narrow whereas a wider dripping flow operating range can be realized in this step T-junction microdevice when the capillary number of the continuous phase is in the range of 0.01 to 0.7. Additionally, the viscosity of the continuous phase was also measured in the same microdevice. Several different systems with an interfacial tension from 1.0 to 8.0 mN·m^-1 and a viscosity from 0.9 to 10 mPa·s were measured accurately. The experimental results are in good agreement with the data obtained from a commercial interfacial tensiometer and a spinning digital viscometer. This work could extend the application of microfluidic flows.     

On the association between poly(vinyl alcohol) and sodium dodecyl sulfate and its effect on liquid–liquid interfacial tension: A mathematical model

Association between poly(vinyl alcohol-co-vinyl acetate) copolymer (PVA) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) was studied experimentally and theoretically. It was found that, for the ethyl acetate-aqueous phase interface in which PVA was previously adsorbed, the interfacial tension (γ) increases abruptly to a maximum and then exhibits a relatively mild decay with the addition of SDS to the aqueous phase. The theoretical results indicate that vinyl acetate (VAc) segments determine γ. However, for relatively low concentrations of SDS (C_SDS), this latter plays a major role because through its association with the VAc segments it modulates the extent to which PVA is adsorbed at the interface, indirectly determining the value of γ. As C_SDS approaches to the CMC value for SDS, its influence on γ decreases because SDS tends to self-assembly rather than associates with VAc. These model predictions are consistent with experimental findings reported in the literature.     

Properties of phyllosilicate-based porous ceramics shaped by conventional tape casting and freeze tape casting

Silicate ceramics were shaped using tape casting (TC) and freeze tape casting (FTC) processes from three clays labeled HCR, KORS, and KCR. These clays exhibited mass content of 77% halloysite–10 Å, 29% kaolinite, and 98% kaolinite minerals, respectively. After casting the slurries, the dried tapes were sintered at 1200°C. The microstructure changes were characterized before and after sintering using scanning electron microscopy. The apparent porosity of TC samples was lower (36–47 vol.%) compared to values obtained with FTC samples (67–79 vol.%). The latter samples exhibited a highly textured porosity, with micron-sized pores aligned perpendicular to the tape surfaces. Upon sintering, the porosity of TC samples tended to decrease conversely to the case of FTC samples. Such behavior seemed related to the simultaneous effect of organic additives and ice templating. Consequently, the FTC samples showed a relatively low mechanical strength of 3–7 MPa and thermal conductivity of .14– .22 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹. After sintering, the mullite crystallization contributed to strengthen the bulk materials, helping to compensate for the detrimental effect of porosity on the stress to rupture and on thermal conductivity values.     

混凝土偏拉构件临开裂受压区极限压应变研究

采用《钢筋混凝土结构设计规范》中规定的混凝土受压应力应变曲线和钢筋应力应变曲线,对混凝土强度小于C50的普通强度混凝土偏心受拉构件临开裂时的受力情况进行力学分析,得到了混凝土偏心受拉构件临开裂前受压区的极限压应变及变化规律。