Free Coating of Fluids (Newtonian, Non-Newtonian, and Viscoelastic) at Low and High Speeds

Abstract

• Designed and constructed a laboratory “free–coating” apparatus to perform coating experiments. • Found a new method to objectively determine the final film thickness in free coating of viscoelastic fluids. • Modified standard constitutive equations for viscoelastic fluids to enhance their performance in the prediction of coating processes. • Characterized viscoelastic fluids including steady and oscillatory shear as well as extensional viscosity measurements of poly(acrylamide) PAA solutions in glycerol/water. • Investigated and performed the “Fiber Spinning” experiment to characterize extensional properties of viscoelastic fluids using extensional viscometer CARRi-MED: E4. • Investigated the “Tubeless Siphon” experiment to characterize extensional properties of viscoelastic fluids using a laboratory set–up.