Hydrogel droplet formation in coaxial minichannels governed by contact angle and spatiotemporal surface tension gradients; International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer; Vol. 173
| Parent link: | International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer.— .— Amsterdam: Elsevier Science Publishing Company Inc. Vol. 173.— 2026.— Article number 110808, 8 p. |
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| Summary: | Title screen The synthesis of ionically cross-linked alginate capsules in minichannels provides precise control over drug delivery systems; however, predicting droplet size remains challenging due to dynamic interfacial processes. This study conducted numerical simulations using the VOF method in OpenFOAM with experimental validation to investigate the influence of dynamic surface tension and wetting on the formation of droplets in coaxial minichannels. The trends in droplet diameter versus the flow rates of the continuous ( = 0.8–2.4 mL/min) and dispersed ( = 0.01–0.08 mL/min) phases were accurately reproduced, confirming the model's hydrodynamic validity. A numerical model is proposed to predict surface tension dynamics and its influence on droplet morphology. A non-monotonic dependence of the droplet diameter on the surface tension relaxation time was revealed. Dynamic surface tension models alter the diameter up to 30% compared to the static surface tension model. Two wetting regimes were identified, governed by the contact angle. At lower θ, the contact line pins to the outer channel surface, forming larger droplets. At higher θ, the contact line moves inward, producing smaller droplets Текстовый файл AM_Agreement |
| Language: | English |
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2026
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2026.110808 |
| Format: | Electronic Book Chapter |
| KOHA link: | https://koha.lib.tpu.ru/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=685881 |