Arrangement Of Droplets Research Articles

Investigation of high internal phase water-in-oil emulsion on coal gasification fine slag flotation decarburization and its oil saving mechanism

Froth flotation stands as the preferred technique for the separation of charcoal and ash from coal gasification fine slag (CGFS). However, the presence of a well-developed pore structure and an abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface of residual charcoal necessitates the use of substantial dosage of collectors during the flotation of CGFS. To address this, a high internal phase water-in-oil (HIP W/O) emulsion, with an internal phase water volume fraction of 85 %, was formulated for the flotation decarburization of CGFS, with the objective of reducing the collector dosage. The outcomes of flotation tests demonstrated that at dosages of 50 kg/t for kerosene and 15.04 kg/t for the organic liquid of the HIP W/O emulsion, both were capable of yielding tailings with an ash content exceeding 95 %. The results from Cryo-SEM and viscosity tests suggest that the high viscosity characteristics of the HIP W/O emulsion are primarily attributed to the compact arrangement of emulsion droplets and the active influence of emulsifiers at the oil–water interface. High-speed camera observations revealed that the HIP W/O emulsion droplets exhibited a tendency to disperse into bar-shaped flocs with larger particle sizes in water. This particular dispersion morphology is advantageous for enhancing the oil agglomeration flotation mechanism within the flotation decarburization process of CGFS. LF-NMR tests have further substantiated that the emulsion droplets are not readily absorbed by the microporous structure of the residual charcoal within the CGFS. Wettability tests and FTIR analyses have demonstrated that the hydrophobic modification of the residual charcoal surface, achieved through the HIP W/O emulsion, markedly surpasses that of conventional kerosene. The combination of these results indicates that the use of HIP W/O emulsion in the flotation decarbonization process of CGFS offers multiple benefits. It not only significantly reduces the dosage of organic collectors required, but also enhances the economic efficiency and effectiveness of the flotation process, presenting a novel reagent option for the decarbonization of CGFS.

Simulation of group of droplets evaporation

Droplet evaporation occurs in many natural phenomena and industrial processes; hence, several studies have been conducted on droplet evaporation. In many applications, a group of droplets evaporate and the interaction between them affects the evaporation process. In this paper, the front-tracking method is used to simulate the droplets groups evaporation. Since the front-tracking method uses a Lagrangian grid for each droplet, this method offers good accuracy in predicting the shape, the displacement and the evaporation rate of droplets. The numerical method has been developed to simulate the evaporation of binary droplets. The fluid surrounding the droplets is modeled as a gas mixture, so the numerical method can be used to simulate multiphase-multicomponent problems. The front-tracking method requires very fine grid resolution to simulate flows at high-density ratios; therefore, the method is rarely used at high-density ratios. In this paper, a two-step method is used to move the front at high-density ratios without requiring a very fine grid resolution. First, a static droplet evaporation is simulated, and the results are compared with the analytical solutions; evaporation of a Decane droplet is then simulated, and the results are compared with the experimental data. Subsequently, the evaporation of a binary droplet is modeled. The evaporation of a group of static droplets is also simulated, and the effect of droplets interaction is investigated. Next, the evaporation of three injected droplets is simulated, and the effect of some parameters on droplets interaction is probed. The evaporation rate and displacement of each droplet are calculated and compared with the single droplet. Finally, the evaporation of the groups of droplets is simulated, and the effect of different arrangements of droplets on the evaporation rate is studied. Understanding the droplets interactions is helpful in predicting droplet spray behavior and developing numerical methods. Thus, the presented results are useful to achieve a better understanding of the droplets interaction phenomenon, its outcomes, and the parameters affecting evaporation rate.

Double Droplets Impact an Inclined Superhydrophobic Surface.

The rebound dynamics of double droplets impacting an inclined superhydrophobic surface decorated with macro-ridges are investigated via lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) simulations. Four rebound regions are identified, that is, the no-coalescence-rebound (NCR), the partial-coalescence-rebound of the middle part bounces first (PCR-M), and the side part bounces first (PCR-S), as well as the complete-coalescence-rebound (CCR). The occurrence of the rebound regions strongly depends on the droplet arrangement, the center-to-center distance of the droplets, and the Weber number. Furthermore, the contact time is closely related to the rebound regions. The PCR-M region can significantly reduce the contact time because the energy dissipation in this region may decrease which can promote the rebound dynamic. Intriguingly, the contact time is also affected by the droplet arrangement; i.e., droplets arranged parallel to the ridge dramatically shorten the contact time since this arrangement increases the asymmetry of the liquid film. Therefore, for multidrop impact, the contact time can be effectively manipulated by changing the rebound region and the droplet arrangement. This work focuses on elucidating the wetting behaviors, rebound regions, and contact time of the multiple-droplet impacting an inclined superhydrophobic surface decorated with macro-ridges.

Diversification of spider silk properties in an adaptive radiation of Hawaiian orb-weaving spiders

IntroductionThe design of biological structures and the materials composing those structures are intimately connected to performance in biological systems. Spider webs present an excellent example of how design and materials interact during their function in capturing prey. Major shifts in how spider webs capture prey have occurred due to evolutionary changes in both web architecture and silk properties. However, these shifts are mostly described for long timescales deep within the spider’s tree of life. Hawaiian Tetragnatha presents an opportunity to ask if such shifts can occur at much shorter timescales because web design diverges significantly among closely related species on the same island while also converging with more distant relatives on other islands. Here, we provide an initial test of whether or not silk properties diversified during the recent adaptive radiation of Hawaiian Tetragnatha.MethodsWe obtained radial and capture spiral silk from orb webs for spiders on two islands and tested their tensile and adhesive properties. We also used solution-state NMR to compare the composition of low molecular weight compounds in the glue because of their influence on capture spiral stickiness.ResultsResults showed differences in the stiffness of radial silk among four populations of Hawaiian Tetragnatha, while extensibility remained unchanged. Although not statistically different, radial strength and toughness varied twofold among species. Stickiness varied threefold among the four populations of orb weavers. No conspicuous qualitative differences in the low molecular weight compound composition of aggregate glue were found, suggesting that differences in capture spiral stickiness were due to the amount or arrangement of glue droplets on threads.DiscussionWhile our sampling is modest, our data provide the first evidence that silk properties can evolve measurably over the relatively short timescales of the adaptive radiation of Hawaiian Tetragnatha spiders.

Design of microfluidic chromatographs through reinforcement learning

Chromatography is one of the most valuable techniques chemists possess at their disposal, conducive to everything from developing vaccines, food, beverage, and drug testing to catching criminals. The diverse applications allow it to be used for analytical and preparative purposes. On the other hand, droplet microfluidics has significantly evolved from simple droplet generators to complex and integrated tasks through specially designed networks. Microfluidics finds itself at the center of various Lab-on-Chip studies, enabling single-cell analysis, biochemical synthesis, etc. We demonstrate a microfluidic chromatograph machine that can produce an ordered droplet arrangement for a large number of drops. The droplets are sent into the device using a novel methodology where the conventional droplet train is made into smaller batches. The study describes the use of droplet batch methodology and compares it with the traditional droplet train approach. Using this platform, different droplet sequences are sent through the chromatograph, which preferably allows some droplets to exit first while others take a longer time to flow across the chromatograph based on the droplet properties and device design. The droplet sequences contain various drops; however, the type of drops in these sequences is limited to 2. The chromatograph can handle any number of drops in a single machine is enough for handling diverse droplet sequences. The stability of the microfluidic chromatography is also studied by varying the droplet properties and the droplet batch size.

Dynamically and structurally heterogeneous 1-propanol/water mixtures.

1-propanol/water mixtures over the whole composition range (0 < XV ≤ 1; XV is the 1-propanol volume fraction) are shown to be structurally and dynamically heterogeneous. By combining structural (x-ray diffraction), thermodynamic (differential scanning calorimetry) and dynamical probes (dielectric spectroscopy) we construct the pertinent phase diagram. It consists of liquid 1-propanol, liquid water, hexagonal ice and different hydrates, the latter sharing the same lattice. The phase diagram can be discussed in terms of four regimes, all having in common a droplet arrangement of the minority component. When water droplets are strongly confined by 1-propanol (regime I, 0.92 < XV ≤ 1; "soft" confinement), water is unable to crystallize. It has dynamics reminiscent to the ultra-viscous water phase known as high-density liquid (HDL). When water droplets are moderately confined (regime II, 0.75 < XV ≤ 0.92) water can crystallize via homogeneous nucleation. Strikingly, the homogeneous nucleation temperature is at 205K, well within "no-man's land." The result is in line with earlier reports that soft confinement is the key to enter into the "no-man's land". When 1-propanol is the minority component (regimes III and IV), the structure and the dynamics are dominated by the 1-propanol/water interface with the formation of hydrates. The corresponding dynamical features suggest a link between hydrate formation and the two metastable phases of ultra-viscous water, HDL and low-density liquid.

Mini droplet, mega droplet and stripe formation in a dipolar condensate

We demonstrate mini droplet, mega droplet and stripe formation in a dipolar 164Dy condensate, using an improved mean-field model including a Lee–Huang–Yang-type interaction, employing a quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) trap in a way distinct from that in the pioneering experiment, M. A. Norcia et. al., Nature 596, 357 (2021), where the polarization z direction was taken to be perpendicular to the quasi-2D x–y plane. In the present study we take the polarization z direction in the quasi-2D x−z plane. Employing the same trapping frequencies as in the experiment, and interchanging the frequencies along the y and z directions, we find the formation of mini droplets for number of atoms N as small as N=1000. With the increase of number of atoms, a spatially-periodic supersolid-like one-dimensional array of mega droplets containing 50000 to 200000 atoms is formed along the x direction in the x–y plane. These mega droplets are elongated along the polarization z direction, consequently, the spatially periodic arrangement of droplets appears as a stripe pattern in the x−z plane. To establish the supersolidity of the droplets we demonstrate continued dipole-mode and scissors-mode oscillations of the droplet-lattice pattern. The main findings of the present study can be tested experimentally with the present know-how.

A modified dynamic contact angle model applied to double droplet impact curved surface

The microscopic processes involving droplet impact and interaction on spatially curved surfaces remain unclear. In this study, we implement a dynamic contact angle model with adjusted upper and lower limits into a simulation of droplet motion, constructing a three-dimensional numerical model to depict the dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of symmetric double droplets impacting plane, concave, and convex cylindrical, and concave and convex spherical surfaces. The processes of droplet spreading, retraction, rebound, splitting, and heat transfer are elaborated, revealing the role of surface curvature during impact. Our results show that different curvatures significantly affect the flow morphology of the flow dividing line. For the two main curvatures of the surface, the curvature in the direction of droplet arrangement predominates. Positive curvature promotes spreading and repels the liquid phase, while negative curvature promotes agglomeration and attracts the liquid phase. Extreme situations arise when both positive and negative curvatures occur simultaneously. Regarding heat transfer, the overall heat transfer rate is mainly determined by the spread area, and the heat transfer performance of convex surfaces is better than that of plane or concave surfaces. Residual bubbles increase heat transfer inhomogeneity, but different surfaces do not show significant variability. Additionally, the heat flow intensity in the central interaction region has the following relationship with its rebound height and is independent of the overall heat transfer intensity.

Numerical study of the impact and aggregation characteristics of alumina droplets on a wall in the solid rocket motor

The impact and aggregation of multiple alumina droplets on the inner wall of the solid rocket motor may generate a larger rebound aggregated droplet or adhere to the wall to form a liquid film. The rebound and adhesion characteristics of the aggregated droplet are of great significance for slag deposition and two-phase flow prediction in the motor. In this paper, the VOF (Volume of fluid) method is used to study the impact and aggregation process of multiple alumina droplets on the wall. Detailed numerical verifications are carried out, including the impact and aggregation of moving droplets, the aggregation and rebound of stationary droplets and the impact process of a single alumina droplet on the wall. It is found that the aggregated droplet will rotate when two droplets aggregate under small droplet diameter ratio, which is caused by the asymmetry aggregation process. The oscillation process intensifies when three droplets impact and aggregate on the wall, as a result, the aggregated droplet is easier to adhere to the wall. The viscous dissipation in the aggregation of droplets is huge, and the total viscous dissipation energy accounts for about 50% of the total energy when the aggregated droplets rebound. The influence of droplet diameter on the V⁎ (rebound recovery coefficient) of the aggregated droplet and the rebound/adhesion results are dominated by the viscosity effect. While the influence of the parameters involving the initial spatial arrangement of droplets is dominated by the oscillation process, which will reduce the effective rebound kinetic energy, making a lower V⁎ and the aggregated droplet easier to adhere.

Selective Voltage Application to Connected Loads Using Soft Matter Computer Based on Conductive Droplet Interval Design

Soft matter computers (SMCs) are promising control and computation mechanisms that do not use rigid materials. In such mechanisms, conductive droplets are used to switch the state of the voltage applied to connected loads, such as in an electric actuator. Without a complex structure, an SMC can only apply voltage in sequence starting from the first load. Therefore, soft robots with simple SMCs can only perform simple operations. In this study, to apply voltage to connected loads in any order and combination, the SMC design was extended by adjusting the spatial intervals between pairs of facing electrodes. The intervals between the pairs of facing electrodes for each load were designed uniquely. These pairs of facing electrodes are electrically connected by two conductive droplets at the same interval and a voltage is applied to the specified connected load. Based on the arrangement of conductive droplets, voltage can be applied to loads arranged in a pattern on a soft tube in any combination and order. An experimental evaluation was conducted to determine whether the proposed method could apply voltage to loads in a predefined pattern. Additionally, the applicability of the proposed method to soft robots was demonstrated by controlling soft actuators in any combination.

Gradient droplet distribution promotes spontaneous formation of frost-free zone

The inhibition of condensation frosting at harsh environments is critical in various anti-icing applications. However, frosting on the entire surface is the final fate for most passive anti-icing strategies as a result of inevitable ice nucleation of subcooled droplets from the surface edges or defects and the following inter-droplet freezing wave propagation. Here, we report the frost-free zone formation on a macro-ridged surface. We design a macroscale ridge on the surface and show that this surface configuration changes the spatial distribution of water vapor diffusion flux during the condensation stage, resulting in a gradient arrangement of condensate droplets according to their size. This allows numerous failures of local inter-droplet ice bridging in the area with a critical droplet coverage rate, which triggers the interruption of the global freezing wave propagation and the evaporation of the rest droplets to form a frost-free zone around the ridge corner. These findings extend our understanding of frost formation on the surface and provide a rationale for the surface design with impressive durable anti-frosting performance.

Formation, stability and the application of Pickering emulsions stabilized with OSA starch/chitosan complexes

We demonstrated the formation, structure and stability of Pickering emulsions stabilized by octenyl succinic anhydride starch (OSA-S)/chitosan (CS) complexes and explored their potential as templates for porous materials. Sufficient oil fraction (Φ > 50 %) was decisive for stable emulsions, whereas the complex concentration (c) significantly affected the gel network of emulsions. An increase in Φ or c led to tighter droplet arrangement and enhanced network, which improved the self-supporting characteristics and the stability of emulsions. The stacking of OSA-S/CS complexes at the oil-water interface influenced the emulsion properties, forming typical microstructure with small droplets embedded in interstices of large droplets, and bridging flocculation occurred. Porous materials prepared using emulsions (Φ > 75 %) as templates exhibited semi-open structures with pore size and network varying with different Φ or c. There was no structure collapse due to the interconnectivity of complexes. Our work provides comprehensive information on OSA-S/CS complex-stabilized Pickering emulsions.

Neuronal calcium sensor 2 is key to moulting and oocyte development in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens.

Intracellular calcium (Ca2+ ) is vital for signal transduction in many cellular events. Several Ca2+ -binding proteins mediate the transduction of intracellular calcium signals. The EF-hand motifs containing neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) proteins are mainly expressed in the nervous system, where they have important roles in the regulation of a variety of neuronal functions. NCS1 has four EF-hand motifs and well-defined neuronal development functions in a variety of eukaryotes. However, NCS2 has only been identified in invertebrates such as insects and nematodes thus far. The functions of NCS2 remain largely unknown. Here, we identified an orthologous NCS2 in the hemipteran Nilaparvata lugens. Based on qRT-PCR, this gene was found to be primarily expressed in the brain. Knockdown of NCS2 in each nymphal instar by RNA interference led to lethality and caused aggradation and disordered arrangement of lipid droplets in the ovaries and testes of adults, which were associated with the absence of mature oocytes in female ovaries and reduction of spermiation in male adults. Our findings revealed a novel function for NCS2 as a regulator in development and reproduction and suggested that this protein had an important role in modulating lipid droplet remodelling in ovary and testis of N.lugens adults.

Effect of double‐droplet interaction on ignition and combustion characteristics of heptane‐based nanofluid fuels in a high‐temperature environment

AbstractThe ignition and combustion characteristics of a single droplet or double droplets of the Al/n‐heptane‐based nanofluid fuels with different arrangements were investigated by a droplet‐suspension method at high temperature. The addition of ricinoleic acid and nano‐sized Al particles to n‐heptane can improve the ignition performance of n‐heptane droplets, and the ignition delay times of n‐heptane droplets are decreased by the maximum of 19.0% and 31.0%, respectively. The mixing effect of combustible vapor of adjacent droplets and the heat transfer effect of adjacent flames are responsible for the different combustion processes of nanofluid fuel droplets with different arrangements. Compared with the single droplet, the ignition delay times of the horizontal and vertical double droplets are decreased by the maximum of 26.9% and 45.7%, respectively. The vertical double droplets have better ignition performance than the horizontal double droplets due to the disturbance and mixing of the vapor flow with different directions. In addition, the droplet arrangement has different promotion effects on different droplets.

Interfacial Behaviour in Polymer Composites Processed Using Droplet-Based Additive Manufacturing.

In this study, we show the extent of interfacial behaviour in the mechanical performance of thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer (TPU)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) composite material manufactured using droplet-based additive manufacturing. Both the interface orientation and the interface strength are varied during the processing. Prior to tensile experiments, X-ray micro-tomography imaging is undertaken to obtain the microstructural arrangement of polymer droplets in the part. Tensile loading is performed simultaneously with digital image acquisition to reveal the extent of strain localization using a digital image correlation approach. The experiments are performed up to the failure of the specimens. Finite element computation based on 3D imaging of the ABS/TPU composite is considered to predict the role of the interface as well as the defect influence on the tensile performance. The experimental results show a major connectivity of the process-generated porosity and a distinct morphology of the ABS/TPU interface. The predictions demonstrate that, despite the limited amount of porosity, their connectivity plays a significant role in triggering damage initiation and growth up to the failure of the composite material.

Acoustically manipulating internal structure of disk-in-sphere endoskeletal droplets

Manipulation of micro/nano particles has been well studied and demonstrated by optical, electromagnetic, and acoustic approaches, or their combinations. Manipulation of internal structure of droplet/particle is rarely explored and remains challenging due to its complicated nature. Here we demonstrated the manipulation of internal structure of disk-in-sphere endoskeletal droplets using acoustic wave. We developed a model to investigate the physical mechanisms behind this interesting phenomenon. Theoretical analysis of the acoustic interactions indicated that these assembly dynamics arise from a balance of the primary and secondary radiation forces. Additionally, the disk orientation was found to change with acoustic driving frequency, which allowed on-demand, reversible adjustment of the disk orientations with respect to the substrate. This dynamic behavior leads to unique reversible arrangements of the endoskeletal droplets and their internal architecture, which may provide an avenue for directed assembly of novel hierarchical colloidal architectures and intracellular organelles or intra-organoid structures.

Liquid crystal droplet design by using pseudopeptidic bottlebrush polymer additives.

Liquid crystal (LC) droplets are promising candidates for sensing applications due to their high sensitivity to surface anchoring changes, resulting in readily detectable optical effects. Herein, we have designed and synthesized amino acid-based bottlebrush polymers and investigated their impact on LC director configurations in the droplets. The pseudopeptidic bottlebrush polymers with an aromatic (phenyl) and aliphatic appendages are synthesized using ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Polymer dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) samples are prepared by employing pseudopeptidic bottlebrush polymers and 4-cyano-4'-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) LC via solvent-induced phase separation (SIPS) technique. Due to π-π stacking, the phenyl group favours radial configuration, whereas the repulsion between 5CB and aliphatic groups induces molecular alignment leading to bipolar droplet arrangement. The impact of various pendant groups attached to the polymer on the prepared PDLC sample's surface characteristics and free energy components is illustrated. The sensing capability of 5CB dispersed in pseudopeptidic bottlebrush polymers for various pH solutions is investigated using polarizing optical microscopy (POM). The PDLC samples are moderately permeable to water and sensitive to different pH solutions. The results demonstrate a simplified and straightforward approach for preparing LC-based biosensors and chemical sensors.

Laser-induced deformation and fragmentation of droplets in an array

Droplet–droplet interactions is ubiquitous in various applications ranging from medical diagnostics to enhancing and optimizing liquid jet propulsion. We employ an experimental technique where the laser pulse interacts with a micron-sized droplet and causes optical breakdown. The interaction of a nanosecond laser pulse and an isolated spherical droplet is accurately controlled and manipulated to influence the deformation and fragmentation of an array of droplets. We elucidate how the fluid dynamic response (such as drop–drop and shock–drop interactions) of an arrangement of droplets can be regulated and optimally shaped by laser pulse energy and its interplay with the optical density of liquid target. A new butterfly type breakup is revealed, which is found to result in controlled and efficient fragmentation of the outer droplets in an array. The spatio-temporal characteristics of a laser-induced breakdown dictate how shock wave and central droplet fragments can influence outer droplets. The incident laser energy and pulse width employed in this work are representative of diverse industrial applications such as surface cleaning, nano-lithography, microelectronics, and medical procedures such as intraocular microsurgery.

Cavitation controls droplet sizes in elastic media

Biological cells use droplets to separate components and spatially control their interior. Experiments demonstrate that the complex, crowded cellular environment affects the droplet arrangement and their sizes. To understand this behavior, we here construct a theoretical description of droplets growing in an elastic matrix, which is motivated by experiments in synthetic systems where monodisperse emulsions form during a temperature decrease. We show that large droplets only form when they break the surrounding matrix in a cavitation event. The energy barrier associated with cavitation stabilizes small droplets on the order of the mesh size and diminishes the stochastic effects of nucleation. Consequently, the cavitated droplets have similar sizes and highly correlated positions. In particular, we predict the density of cavitated droplets, which increases with faster cooling, as in the experiments. Our model also suggests how adjusting the cooling protocol and the density of nucleation sites affects the droplet size distribution. In summary, our theory explains how elastic matrices affect droplets in the synthetic system, and it provides a framework for understanding the biological case.

Incorporation and structural arrangement of microemulsion droplets in cylindrical pores of mesoporous silica

The behaviour of microemulsion (ME) droplets in mesoporous systems is highly important for understanding the immobilisation of drugs or chemical formulations, cleaning processes or enhanced oil recovery. The loading of pores as well as the structural organisation of MEs within the pores is a relevant parameter, especially for immobilisation applications. For this reason, the uptake of microemulsions in cylindrical pores of SBA-15 was investigated via adsorption and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). Adsorption isotherms revealed an adsorption of the microemulsion droplets based on the adsorption of surfactant as a driving force. The adapted scattering model is based on the analysis of bare SBA-15 in full contrast conditions and employs microemulsions inside of SBA-15 measured at the silica contrast matching point. Accordingly, the structural arrangement of microemulsion droplets in the pores of SBA-15 was determined in good detail. Microemulsion droplets smaller than the pore size access the pores while retaining their spherical shape and become increasingly ordered for higher loading, where the droplets arrange in a dense packing of spherical droplets in a cylindrical pore. Interestingly, microemulsion droplets larger than the pore size can easily be incorporated, but become deformed upon entering and are present as elongated rod-like structures.