VISUALIZATION AND MEASUREMENT OF MICROSCOPIC VISCOELASTIC FLUID FLOW

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This study focuses on the interesting microscopic flow phenomenon of viscoelastic fluid flow, which is generated in a microchannel. By using confocal microscopy and micro-PIV technique, we have successfully visualized the microscopic fluidic structures ("micelles") formed in the flow and measured the complicated three-dimensional flow pattern. The results clearly indicate that a couple of worm-like micelles are formed in pairs and the surrounding flow shows three-dimensional behaviors even in microscale and at low Reynolds number. This study suggests the possibility that the viscoelastic fluid might be available for functional fluid control in microfluidic devices.