Hysteresis in the freeze-thaw cycle of emulsions and suspensions

TL;DR

This study investigates hysteresis effects during freeze-thaw cycles in emulsions and suspensions, revealing non-reversible object displacements and deformation behaviors, supported by experimental observations and theoretical modeling.

Contribution

It provides new experimental insights into hysteresis effects and object displacement behaviors during freeze-thaw cycles, validated by comparison with a prior theoretical model.

Findings

PS particles migrate further away during thawing

Oil droplets tend to return to initial positions after thawing

Droplet deformation re-shaping is remarkably reversible

Abstract

Freeze-thaw cycles can be regularly observed in nature in water and are essential in industry and science. Objects present in the medium will interact with either an advancing solidification front during freezing or a retracting solidification front, i.e., an advancing melting front, during thawing. It is well known that objects show complex behaviours when interacting with the advancing solidification front, but the extent to which they are displaced during the retraction of the solid-liquid interface is less well understood. To study potential hysteresis effects during freeze-thaw cycles, we exploit experimental model systems of oil-in-water emulsions and polystyrene (PS) particle suspensions, in which a water-ice solidification front advances and retracts over an individual immiscible (and deformable) oil droplet or over a solid PS particle. We record several interesting hysteresis effects, resulting in non-zero relative displacements of the objects between freezing and thawing. PS particles tend to migrate further and further away from their initial position, whereas oil droplets tend to return to their starting positions during thawing. We rationalize our experimental findings by comparing them to our prior theoretical model of Meijer, Bertin & Lohse, Phys. Rev. Fluids (2025), yielding a qualitatively good agreement. Additionally, we look into the reversibility of how the droplet deforms and re-shapes throughout one freeze-thaw cycle, which will turn out to be remarkably robust.