Elasticity can affect droplet coalescence

TL;DR

This paper investigates how elasticity influences droplet coalescence, revealing that coalescence dynamics depend on the merging method and are not universal, with implications for understanding polymeric fluid behavior.

Contribution

It demonstrates that the coalescence process of polymeric droplets is method-dependent and introduces a universal bridge profile using a similarity parameter in a modified lubrication model.

Findings

Coalescence dynamics vary with merging method.

A universal bridge profile is derived for polymeric drops.

The process is not solely governed by Newtonian fluid mechanics.

Abstract

Recent investigations on the coalescence of polymeric droplets on a solid substrate have reported strong disagreements; the heart of the issue is whether coalescence of polymeric drops is similar to that of Newtonian fluid and is independent of molecular relaxation, or whether the role of entanglement of polymeric chains leads to a transition kinetics different from that of Newtonian fluid. Via this report, we resolve the disagreements through a discussion on the effects of merging method on the dominant forces governing the coalescence process, i.e., inertia, dissipation, and relaxation. Our study unveils that the coalescence dynamics of polymeric drops is not universal and in fact, it is contingent of the method by which the coalescence is triggered. Additionally, we demonstrate the spatial features of the bridge at different time instants by a similarity analysis. We also theoretically obtain a universal bridge profile by employing the similarity parameter in a modified thin film lubrication equation for polymeric fluids.