title: Statistical Modeling Applied to Deformation-Relaxation Processes in a Composite Biopolymer Network Induced by Magnetic Field.
abstract: This study investigated a methodology based on image processing and statistics to characterize and model the deformation upon controlled and uniform magnetic field and the relaxation under zero field of droplets observed in aqueous solutions of sodium alginate incorporating magnetic maghemite nanoparticles stabilized by adsorption of citrate ions. The changes of droplet geometry were statistically analyzed using a new approach based on the data obtained from optical microscopy, image processing, nonlinear regression, evolutionary optimization, analysis of variance and resampling. Image enhancement and then image segmentation (Gaussian mixture modeling) processes were applied to extract features with reliable information of droplets dimensions from optical micrographs. The droplets deformation and relaxation trends were accurately adjusted by the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts (KWW) function and a mean relaxation time was obtained by fitting the time evolution of geometry parameters. It was found to be proportional to the initial radius of the spherical droplets and was associated to interfacial tension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, EPS. University of A Coruña. Avda. Mendizábal s/n. Ferrol. Spain.
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tarrío-Saavedra
authors.affiliation: Matière et Systèmes Complexes CNRS, UMR 7057, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7 Bâtiment Condorcet Case 7056, Paris.
authors.forename: Cécilia Galindo
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: González
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, EPS. University of A Coruña. Avda. Mendizábal s/n. Ferrol. Spain.
authors.forename: Salvador
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naya
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Engineering II, EPS. University of A Coruña. Avda. Mendizábal s/n. Ferrol. Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: López-Beceiro
authors.affiliation: Matière et Systèmes Complexes CNRS, UMR 7057, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7 Bâtiment Condorcet Case 7056, Paris.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4743-2161
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ponton
mesh_terms: D019343:Citric Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D060526:Magnetic Fields; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D019343:Citric Acid