(300d) Dynamics of Double Emulsion Droplets in a Wall-Bounded Shear Flow

Dynamics of deformable objects, such as droplets and vesicles have been the subject of interest in many theoretical studies; however, there has been limited experimental work on this subject. The individual behavior of these objects in shear flow (i.e. translation, rotation and deformation) can result in a more comprehensive understanding of their microrheology. In this work, the non-inertial migration behavior of double emulsion droplets is studied in straight microchannels at different shear rates. Monodisperse double emulsion droplets of water in oil in water were generated in a microfluidic device consisting of two flow focusing junctions by a solvent extraction technique. Preliminary results from elasticity measurements using a capillary micromechanics approach reveal that the double emulsion drops are quite deformable. The buoyant droplets are focused to a certain distance from the wall while traveling down the channels due to their deformable nature. The equilibrium position in the channel and the entry length required to achieve that position will be reported. The outcome of this research can shed light into interactions between cell membranes and an adhesive (endothelial) wall during cell migration in a laminar flow.