Drop formation dynamics of constant low-viscosity, elastic fluids

The dynamics of drop formation under gravity has been investigated as a function of elasticity using a set of low-viscosity, ideal elastic fluids and an equivalent Newtonian glycerol-water solution. All solutions had the same shear viscosity, equilibrium surface tension, and density, but differed greatly in elasticity. The minimum drop radius in the early stages of drop formation (necking) was found to scale as expected from potential flow theory, independent of the elasticity of the solutions. Thus, during this stage of drop formation when viscous force is still weak, the dynamics are controlled by a balance between inertial and capillary forces, and there is no contribution of elastic stresses of the polymer. However, upon formation of the pinch regions, there is a large variation in the drop development to break-off observed between the various solutions. The elastic solutions formed secondary fluid threads either side of a secondary drop from the necked region of fluid between the upper and lower pinches, which were sustained for increasing amounts of time. The break-off lengths and times increase with increasing elasticity of the solutions. Evolution of the filament, length is, however, identical in shape and form for all of the polymer solutions tested, regardless of differing elasticity. This de-coupling between filament growth rate and break-up time (or equivalently, final filament length at break-up) is rationalised. A modified force balance to that of Jones and Rees [48] is capable of correctly predicting the filament growth of these low-viscosity, elastic fluids in the absence of any elastic contributions due to polymer extension within the elongating filament. The elongation of the necked region of fluid (which becomes the filament) is dominated by the inertia of the drop, and is independent of the elasticity of the solution. However, elasticity does strongly influence the resistance of the pinch regions to break-off, with rapid necking resulting in extremely high rates of surface contraction on approach to the pinch point, initiating extension of the polymer chains within the pinch regions. This de-coupling phenomenon is peculiar to low-viscosity, elastic fluids as extension does not occur prior to the formation of the pinch points (i.e. just prior to break-up), as opposed to the high viscosity counterparts in which extension of polymers in solution may occur even during necking. Once steady-state extension of the polymers is achieved within the pinch at high extension rates, the thread undergoes elasto-capillary break-up as the capillarity again overcomes the viscoelastic forces. The final length at detachment and time-to-break-off (relative to the equivalent Newtonian fluid) is shown to be linearly proportional to the longest relaxation time of the fluid. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.