Effect of nonionic surfactants on the electrorheology of emulsions

Abstract

In this study, we consider the effect of nonionic surfactants on the rheological responses of emulsion systems under the action of a uniform dc electric field. The model emulsions consist of a less conducting dispersed phase and a more conducting continuous phase. When the shear flow is weak, the positive viscosity effect is produced due to the formation of chain-like morphology. The nonionic surfactants used here generate two distinctively different effects. Specifically, first, the steric hindrance induced by the surfactant molecules renders the structure unstable, and thereby reduces the degree of positive viscosity effect. Secondly, the presence of surfactant molecules also prevents the rotation of the dispersed droplets by anchoring across the interface or by decreasing the size of dispersed phase. The second effect suppresses the negative viscosity effect.