Flow-induced structure in colloidal gels: direct visualization of model 2D suspensions

Abstract

The spatial organization of particles in a colloidal gel controls the macroscopic properties, such as the rheological ones or the macroscopic gel stability. However, the suspension microstructure depends in a non-trivial manner on the colloidal interactions, the concentration and the flow history. Especially the effect of the latter is so far ill-understood and difficult to study in bulk suspensions. In the present work, well-characterized two dimensional suspensions are used to study the flow-induced structure in colloidal gels. Both a parallel band apparatus and a four roll mill are used to generate surface flows and the resulting steady state structures are analyzed using video microscopy. Because of the 2D nature of the suspensions, a high temporal and spatial resolution can be obtained, rendering the visualization for a wide range of surface coverages and flow rates possible. In this wide parameter space, two different regimes can be distinguished. At low surface coverages or high shear rates, only isolated flocs exist, whereas at high surface coverages or low shear rates, a transient network structure is encountered. In the two micro structural regimes the evolution of the characteristic length scales, the dominant orientation and anisotropy and the local aggregate or cluster densities is investigated. For individual aggregates, a simple analysis of hydrodynamic forces on the aggregates is used to evaluate the shear rate dependence of the aggregate size and aggregate density.