Title | Phase synchronization of fluid-fluid interfaces as hydrodynamically coupled oscillators. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2020 |
Authors | Um, E, Kim, M, Kim, H, Kang, JH, Stone, HA, Jeong, J |
Journal | Nat Commun |
Volume | 11 |
Issue | 1 |
Pagination | 5221 |
Date Published | 2020 Oct 15 |
ISSN | 2041-1723 |
Abstract | Hydrodynamic interactions play a role in synchronized motions of coupled oscillators in fluids, and understanding the mechanism will facilitate development of applications in fluid mechanics. For example, synchronization phenomenon in two-phase flow will benefit the design of future microfluidic devices, allowing spatiotemporal control of microdroplet generation without additional integration of control elements. In this work, utilizing a characteristic oscillation of adjacent interfaces between two immiscible fluids in a microfluidic platform, we discover that the system can act as a coupled oscillator, notably showing spontaneous in-phase synchronization of droplet breakup. With this observation of in-phase synchronization, the coupled droplet generator exhibits a complete set of modes of coupled oscillators, including out-of-phase synchronization and nonsynchronous modes. We present a theoretical model to elucidate how a negative feedback mechanism, tied to the distance between the interfaces, induces the in-phase synchronization. We also identify the criterion for the transition from in-phase to out-of-phase oscillations. |
DOI | 10.1038/s41467-020-18930-7 |
Alternate Journal | Nat Commun |
PubMed ID | 33060604 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC7562928 |
Grant List | 2017R1A6A3A04006179 / / National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) / CMMI-1661672 / / National Science Foundation (NSF) / 1.190122.01 / / Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) / |