The dynamics of inextensible capsules in shear flow under the effect of the nature state

TL;DR

This study investigates how the nature state influences the motion of inextensible capsules in shear flow, revealing complex transitions between tumbling and tank-treading modes depending on shear rate and capsule properties.

Contribution

It introduces the effect of the nature state on capsule dynamics, identifying the transition regions and intermittent behaviors in shear flow.

Findings

Intermittent region between tumbling and tank-treading identified.

Capsule exhibits alternating tumbling and tank-treading cycles.

Critical swelling ratio for intermittent behavior estimated.

Abstract

The effect of the nature state on the motion of an inextensible capsule in simple shear flow has been studied in this paper. Besides the viscosity ratio of the internal fluid and external fluid of the capsule, the nature state effect also plays a role for having the transition between two well known motions, tumbling and tank-treading (TT) with the long axis oscillating about a fixed inclination angle (a swinging mode), when varying the shear rate. The intermittent region between tumbling and TT with a swinging mode of the capsule with a biconcave rest shape has been obtained in a narrow range of the capillary number. In such region, the dynamics of the capsule is a mixture of tumbling and TT with a swinging mode; when having the tumbling motion, the membrane tank-tread backward and forward within a small range. As the capillary number is very close to and below the threshold for the pure TT with a swinging mode, the capsule tumbles once after several TT periods in each cycle. The number of TT periods in one cycle decreases with respect to the decreasing of the capillary number, until the capsule has one tumble and one TT period alternatively and such alternating motion exists over a range of the capillary number; and then the capsule performs more tumbling between two consecutive TT periods when reducing the capillary number further, and finally shows pure tumbling. The critical value of the swelling ratio for having the intermittent region has been estimated.