Dilatancy in dense suspensions of model hard-sphere-like colloids under shear and extensional flow

TL;DR

This study investigates dilatancy and shear thickening in dense colloidal suspensions under shear and extensional flows, revealing microscopic and macroscopic behaviors and creating a comprehensive state diagram of suspension responses.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of dilatancy effects in colloidal suspensions under different flow conditions and compares shear and extensional rheology in a unified framework.

Findings

Detection of Discontinuous Shear Thickening above a critical shear rate.

Observation of dilatancy and positive normal stresses at shear thickening onset.

Development of a state diagram illustrating various suspension behaviors.

Abstract

Dense suspensions of model hard-sphere-like colloids, with different particle sizes, are examined experimentally in the glass state, under shear and extensional rheology. Under steady shear flow we detect Discontinuous Shear Thickening (DST) above a critical shear rate. Start-up shear experiments show stress overshoots in the vicinity of the onset of DST related with a change in microscopic morphology, as the sample shows dilatancy effects. The analysis of the normal stress together with direct sample observation by high speed camera, indicates the appearance of positive N1 and dilation behavior at the shear thickening onset. Dilatancy effects are detected also under extensional flow. The latter was studied through capillary breakup and filament stretching experimental setups, where liquid-like response is seen for strain rate lower than a critical strain rate and solid like-behavior for higher strain rates. Monitoring the filament thinning processes under different conditions (volume fractions and strain rates) we have created a state diagram where all responses of a hard-sphere suspension (Newtonian, shear thinning, shear thickening, dilatant) are shown. We finally compare the shear thickening response of these hard-sphere-like suspensions and glasses in shear with that in extensional flow.