New generalized viscosity model for non-colloidal suspensions and emulsions

Abstract

The viscous behavior of solids-in-liquid suspensions and liquid-in-liquid emulsions of non-Brownian solid particles and liquid droplets dispersed in Newtonian liquids is thoroughly discussed and reviewed. The full concentration range of the dispersed particles/droplets is covered, that is, 0 < φ < φm, where φ is the volume fraction of inclusions (particles or droplets) and φm is the maximum packing volume fraction of inclusions. The existing viscosity models for suspensions and emulsions are evaluated using a large pool of experimental viscosity data on suspensions and emulsions. A new generalized model for the viscosity of suspensions and emulsions is proposed and evaluated. The model takes into consideration the influence of shear-induced aggregation of particles and droplets. It also includes the effect of the droplet-to-matrix viscosity ratio λ on the viscosity of emulsions. In the limit of high ratio of droplet viscosity to matrix viscosity (λ → ∞), the model reduces to the suspension viscosity model. The proposed model uncovers some important and novel characteristics of suspension systems rarely discussed heretofore in the literature. The model is validated using twenty sets of experimental viscosity data on solids-in-liquid suspensions and twenty-three sets of experimental viscosity data on liquid-in-liquid emulsions.