title: Shape dynamics and rheology of soft elastic particles in a shear flow.
abstract: The shape dynamics of soft, elastic particles in an unbounded simple shear flow is investigated theoretically under Stokes flow conditions. Three types of motion-steady-state, trembling, and tumbling-are predicted, depending on the shear rate, elastic shear modulus, and initial particle shape. The steady-state motion is found to be always stable. In addition, the existence of a trembling regime is documented for the first time in nonvesicle systems, and a complete phase diagram is developed. The rheological properties of dilute suspensions of such soft particles generally exhibit shear-thinning behavior and can even display negative intrinsic viscosity for sufficiently soft particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Howard H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Pedro Ponte
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Castañeda