Ref HAL: hal-01366306_v1
Ref Arxiv: 1607.02271
DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.6b00516
WoS: 000385913800002
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6 Citations
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We investigate the nucleation and propagation of cracks in self-assembled viscoelastic fluids, which are made of surfactant micellesreversibly linked by telechelic polymers. The morphology of the micelles can be continuously tuned, from spherical to rodlike towormlike, thus producing transient double networks when the micelles are sufficiently long and entangled and transient singlenetworks otherwise. For a single network, we show that cracks nucleate when the sample deformation rate involved is comparable tothe relaxation time scale of the network. For a double network, by contrast, significant rearrangements of the micelles occuras a crack nucleates and propagates. We show that birefringence develops at the crack tip over a finite length, ξ, whichcorresponds to the length scale over which micelle alignment occurs. We find that ξ is larger for slower cracks, suggesting anincrease of ductility.

Ref HAL: hal-01331931_v1
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none

Ref HAL: hal-01331928_v1
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One of the major environmental issues related to spraying of pesticides on cultivated crops is the drift phenomenon. Because of the wind, small droplets may drift away from the targeted crop and cause contamination. One way to reduce the drift is to control the spray drop size distribution and reduce the proportion of small drops. In this context, anti-drift additives have been developed, including dilute oil-in-water emulsions. Although being documented, the effects of oil-in-water emulsions on spray drop size distribution are not yet understood. The objective of this work is to determine the mechanisms at the origin of the changes of the spray drop size distribution for emulsion-based sprays. Agricultural spraying involves atomizing a liquid stream through a hydraulic nozzle. At the exit of the nozzle, a free liquid sheet is formed, which is subsequently destabilized into droplets.In order to elucidate the mechanisms causing the changes of the spray drop size distribution, we investigate the influence of emulsions on the destabilization mechanisms of liquid sheets. Model single-tear experiments based on the collision of one tear of liquid on a small solid target are used to produce and visualize liquid sheets with a fast camera. Upon impact, the tear flattens into a sheet radially expanding in the air bounded by a thicker rim. Different destabilization mechanisms of the sheet are observed depending on the fluid properties. A pure water sheet spreads out radially and then retracts due to the effect of surface tension. Simultaneously, the rim corrugates forming radial ligaments, which are subsequently destabilized into droplets. The destabilization mechanism is drastically modified when a dilute oil-in-water emulsion is used. Emulsion-based liquid sheets are destabilized through the nucleation of holes within the sheet that perforate the sheet during its expansion. The holes grow until they merge together and form a web of ligaments, which are then destabilized into drops.The physical-chemical parameters of the emulsion, such as emulsion concentration and emulsion droplet size distribution, are modified to rationalize their influence on the perforation mechanism. We correlate the size distribution of drops issued from conventional agricultural spray with the amount of perforation events in single-tear experiments, demonstrating that the single-tear experiment is an appropriate model experiment to investigate the physical mechanisms governing the spray drop size distribution of anti-drift formulations. We show that the relevant mechanism causing the increase of drops size in the emulsion-based spray is a perforation mechanism.To gain an understanding of the physical mechanisms at the origin of the perforation events, we develop an optical technique that allows the determination of the time and space-resolved thickness of the sheet. We find that the formation of a hole in the sheet is systematically preceded by a localized thinning of the liquid film. We show that the thinning results from the entering and Marangoni-driven spreading of emulsion oil droplet at the air/water interface. The localized thinning of the liquid film ultimately leads to the rupture of the film. We propose the perforation mechanism as a sequence of two necessary steps: the emulsion oil droplets (i) enter the air/water interface, and (ii) spread at the interface. We show that the formulation of the emulsion is a critical parameter to control the perforation. The addition of salt or amphiphilic copolymers can trigger or completely inhibit the perforation mechanism. We show that the entering of oil droplets at the air/water interface is the limiting step of the mechanism. Thin-film forces such as electrostatic or steric repulsion forces stabilize the thin film formed between the interface and the approaching oil droplets preventing the entering of oil droplets at the interface and so inhibit the perforation process.

Ref HAL: hal-01304654_v1
DOI: 10.1615/AtomizSpr.2015013630
WoS: WOS:000375749100006
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3 Citations
Résumé:

Agricultural spraying involves atomizing a liquid stream through a hydraulic nozzle, thus forming a liquid sheet that is subsequently destabilized into drops. Standard adjuvants such as dilute oil-in- water emulsions are known to influence the spray drop size distribution. Although being documented, the physical mechanisms at the origin of the size increase remain unclear. To elucidate the mechanisms causing the changes on the drop size distribution, we investigate the influence of dilute emulsions on the destabilization mechanisms of liquid sheets. Model laboratory experiments based on the collision of a liquid tear on a small solid target are used to produce and characterize liquid sheets. With dilute oil-in-water emulsions, the liquid sheet is destabilized during its expansion by the nucleation of holes that perforate the sheet and grow. The emulsion concentration and the size of the oil droplet of the emulsion are varied to rationalize their influence on the sheet destabilization mechanisms. The results obtained with the model laboratory experiments are compared to the measurement of the drop size distribution resulting from a conventional agricultural spray. The very good correlation between the number of perforation events and the volume fraction of small drops in the spray suggests (i) that the model experiment on liquid sheet is appropriate to investigate and gain an understanding of the physical mechanisms governing the spray drop size distribution and (ii) that the perforation destabilization mechanism of liquid sheets, which dominates for dilute emulsions, is at the origin of the increase of the size of the spray drops.

Commentaires: [Departement_IRSTEA]Ecotechnologies [TR1_IRSTEA]INSPIRE

Ref HAL: hal-01264161_v1
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This invention relates to agricultural adjuvant compositions,pesticide compositions and methods for using such compositions, and in particular to adjuvant compositions useful in providing anti-drift properties.

Ref HAL: hal-01225954_v1
Ref Arxiv: 1511.00451
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.198302
WoS: 000364216600008
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19 Citations
Résumé:

We study the destabilization mechanism of thin liquid sheets expanding in air and show that dilute oil-in-water emulsion-based sheets disintegrate through the nucleation and growth of holes that perforate the sheet. The velocity and thickness fields of the sheet outside the holes are not perturbed by holes and hole opening follows a Taylor-Culick law. We find that a pre-hole, which widens and thins out the sheet with time, systematically precedes the hole nucleation. The growth dynamics of the pre-hole follows the law theoretically predicted for a liquid spreading on another liquid of higher surface tension due to Marangoni stresses. Classical Marangoni spreading experiments quantitatively corroborate our findings.

Ref HAL: hal-01207437_v1
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Résumé:

Agricultural spraying involves atomizing a liquid stream through a hydraulic nozzle forming a liquid sheet, which is subsequently destabilized into drops. Standard solution adjuvants as dilute oil-in-water emulsions are known to influence the spray drop size distribution. We will present model laboratory experiments that aim to elucidate the physical mechanisms causing the changes of drop size distribution. Model laboratory experiments based on the collision of a liquid drop on a small solid target are used to produce and visualize liquid sheets. With dilute oil-in-water emulsions, the liquid sheet is destabilized by the nucleation and growth of holes within the sheet that perforate it during its expansion. The physical-chemical parameters of the emulsion, such as the emulsion concentration, the chemical nature of the components and the emulsion drop size distribution, are varied to rationalize their influence on the perforation mechanisms. Thanks to an original technique that we recently developed to access the time and space-resolved thickness of the sheet, we measure that the formation of a hole within the sheet is preceded by a localized thinning of the liquid film. We show that this thinning results from the entry and spreading of emulsion oil droplets at the air/water interface. The oil droplet spreading, due to Marangoni driven surface tension gradient, drags subsurface fluid with it. This subsurface flow causes a local film thinning which can ultimately rupture the film. Quantitative analysis of the spreading dynamics unambiguous confirms the physical mechanism at the origin of our observations.