Steady-state extensional viscosity of wormlike micellar solutions via dissipative particle dynamics simulations

TL;DR

This study uses dissipative particle dynamics simulations to analyze the nonmonotonic steady-state extensional viscosity of wormlike micellar solutions, linking microscopic micellar behavior to macroscopic flow properties.

Contribution

It introduces a relation connecting extensional viscosity with micellar structures and kinetics, offering a unified description across different conditions.

Findings

Viscosity peaks and then decreases with extension rate.

Nonmonotonic behavior explained by micellar stretching and scission.

Unified model applicable to various temperatures and concentrations.

Abstract

We investigate the steady-state extensional viscosity of wormlike micellar solutions using dissipative particle dynamics simulations. As the extension rate increases, the steady-state extensional viscosity initially increases and subsequently decreases after reaching a maximum, as observed in experiments. We reveal that this nonmonotonic behavior arises from the competition between micellar stretching and scission under uniaxial extensional flow. We further propose a relation that connects the extensional viscosity to micellar structures and kinetics. This relation provides a unified description of the extensional viscosity of unentangled wormlike micellar solutions for various temperatures, concentrations, and extension rates.