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Main Authors: Moore, Charles Paul, Belkadi, Hiba, Safi, Brouna, Amselem, Gabriel, Baroud, Charles N.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.04592
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author Moore, Charles Paul
Belkadi, Hiba
Safi, Brouna
Amselem, Gabriel
Baroud, Charles N.
author_facet Moore, Charles Paul
Belkadi, Hiba
Safi, Brouna
Amselem, Gabriel
Baroud, Charles N.
contents Cells and other soft particles are often forced to flow in confined geometries in both laboratory and natural environments, where the elastic deformation induces an additional drag and pressure drop across the particle. In contrast with other multiphase flows, the physical parameters that determine this additional pressure are still not known. Here we start by measuring the pressure drop across a single spherical hydrogel particle as it flows in a microfluidic comparator. This pressure is found to depend on the amount of confinement, elastic modulus, fluid viscosity and velocity. A model for the force balance on the particle is then proposed, by incorporating the above ingredients and relying on simulations of bead geometry and lubrication flow considerations. The final model collapses the force measurements forces onto a single scaling law spanning several decades, while providing physical insights by recalling elements from classic multiphase flows and contact mechanics.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_04592
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Motion and hydrodynamic resistance of an elastic bead confined in a square microchannel
Moore, Charles Paul
Belkadi, Hiba
Safi, Brouna
Amselem, Gabriel
Baroud, Charles N.
Fluid Dynamics
Soft Condensed Matter
Cells and other soft particles are often forced to flow in confined geometries in both laboratory and natural environments, where the elastic deformation induces an additional drag and pressure drop across the particle. In contrast with other multiphase flows, the physical parameters that determine this additional pressure are still not known. Here we start by measuring the pressure drop across a single spherical hydrogel particle as it flows in a microfluidic comparator. This pressure is found to depend on the amount of confinement, elastic modulus, fluid viscosity and velocity. A model for the force balance on the particle is then proposed, by incorporating the above ingredients and relying on simulations of bead geometry and lubrication flow considerations. The final model collapses the force measurements forces onto a single scaling law spanning several decades, while providing physical insights by recalling elements from classic multiphase flows and contact mechanics.
title Motion and hydrodynamic resistance of an elastic bead confined in a square microchannel
topic Fluid Dynamics
Soft Condensed Matter
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.04592