title: Direct evidence for breakup of liquid fibrils via Rayleigh instabilities in model polymer blends in step-up experiments.
abstract: Droplet breakup in immiscible polymer blends after a sudden substantial increase in shear rate is studied using small-angle light scattering experiments. During the breakup of the fibrils, secondary streaks are visible in the scattering pattern, which indicate the occurrence of Rayleigh instabilities. A high-resolution camera allows quantitative determination of the evolution of the wavelength of the disturbances during the disintegration process. It is shown that this process is time-controlled rather than strain-controlled as suggested by theory.
authors.affiliation: K.U. Leuven, Department of Chemical Engineering, W. de Croylaan 46, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van Hemelrijck
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Puyvelde
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moldenaers