Nano- And microstructure of high-internal phase emulsions under shear

High-internal phase aqueous-in-oil emulsions of two surfactant concentrations were studied using smallangle neutron scattering (SANS) and simultaneous in situ rheology measurements. They contained a continuous oil phase with differing amounts of hexadecane and d-hexadecane (for contrast matching experiments), a deuteroaqueous phase almost saturated with ammonium nitrate, and an oil-soluble stabilizing polyisobutylenebased surfactant. The emulsions' macroscopic Theological behavior has been related to quantify changes in microscale and nanoscale structures observed in the .SANS measurements. The emulsions are Theologically unexceptional and show, inter alia, refinement to higher viscosity after high shear, and shear thinning. These are explained by changes observed in the SANS model parameters. Shear thinning is explained by SANSobserved shear disruption of interdroplet bilayer links, causing deflocculation to more spherical, less linked, aqueous droplets. Refinement to higher viscosity is accompanied by droplet size reduction and loss of surfactant from the oil continuous phase. Refinement occurs because of shear-induced droplet anisotropy, which we have also observed in the SANS experiment. This observed anisotropy and the emulsion refinement cannot be reproduced by either isolated molecule or mean-field models but require a more detailed consideration of interdroplet forces in the sheared fluid.