Dynamic interfacial effects investigated by microfluidics: Formation and stability of droplets and bubbles

Abstract

Microfluidic techniques have emerged as powerful tools to unveil dynamic processes occurring during foam and emulsion production, and instabilities during their lifetime (coalescence and digestion), and to gain detailed insights in interfacial effects at (sub)millisecond time scales, including but not limited to, interfacial adsorption (i.e. dynamic interfacial/surface tension) and interfacial rheology. These insights are pivotal in connecting the interfacial effects to dynamic processes as they would occur during emulsion/foam production. We highlight the importance of conducting research at relevant time scales.