Boundary compliance selects heterogeneous dynamics in shear-thickening suspensions.

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Title: Boundary compliance selects heterogeneous dynamics in shear-thickening suspensions.
Authors: Shi, Li-Xin1, Hu, Meng-Fei2, Zhao, Song-Chuan2,3 songchuan.zhao@outlook.com
Source: Journal of Fluid Mechanics. 3/25/2026, Vol. 1031, p1-13. 13p.
Subjects: Constraints (Physics), Colloidal suspensions, Viscometry, Waves (Fluid mechanics)
Abstract: The mechanical properties of confining boundaries can fundamentally alter the flow behaviour of shear-thickening suspensions. We study a dense cornstarch suspension sheared beneath a viscous silicone oil layer, using the oil viscosity to tune boundary compliance. Flow visualisation and rheometry reveal two distinct regimes. With compliant boundaries, long-lived heterogeneities emerge via density waves or persistent clusters, maintained by a balance between interface deformation and particle rearrangement. With more resistant confinement, we observe transient jamming events, marked by abrupt spanning of load-bearing structures across the suspension thickness and the emergence of secondary stress waves. The onset stress of these events remains constant at the discontinuous shear thickening (DST) threshold, independent of bounding viscosity. Our results reveal that boundary compliance selects the lifetime and morphology of heterogeneous structures, offering a means to amplify otherwise short-lived microscopic processes and providing new insight into the interplay between shear thickening, shear jamming and confinement mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Boundary compliance selects heterogeneous dynamics in shear-thickening suspensions.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shi%2C+Li-Xin%22">Shi, Li-Xin</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hu%2C+Meng-Fei%22">Hu, Meng-Fei</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Zhao%2C+Song-Chuan%22">Zhao, Song-Chuan</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo><i> songchuan.zhao@outlook.com</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Fluid+Mechanics%22">Journal of Fluid Mechanics</searchLink>. 3/25/2026, Vol. 1031, p1-13. 13p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Constraints+%28Physics%29%22">Constraints (Physics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Colloidal+suspensions%22">Colloidal suspensions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Viscometry%22">Viscometry</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Waves+%28Fluid+mechanics%29%22">Waves (Fluid mechanics)</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: The mechanical properties of confining boundaries can fundamentally alter the flow behaviour of shear-thickening suspensions. We study a dense cornstarch suspension sheared beneath a viscous silicone oil layer, using the oil viscosity to tune boundary compliance. Flow visualisation and rheometry reveal two distinct regimes. With compliant boundaries, long-lived heterogeneities emerge via density waves or persistent clusters, maintained by a balance between interface deformation and particle rearrangement. With more resistant confinement, we observe transient jamming events, marked by abrupt spanning of load-bearing structures across the suspension thickness and the emergence of secondary stress waves. The onset stress of these events remains constant at the discontinuous shear thickening (DST) threshold, independent of bounding viscosity. Our results reveal that boundary compliance selects the lifetime and morphology of heterogeneous structures, offering a means to amplify otherwise short-lived microscopic processes and providing new insight into the interplay between shear thickening, shear jamming and confinement mechanics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Fluid Mechanics is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1017/jfm.2026.11305
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 13
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Constraints (Physics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Colloidal suspensions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Viscometry
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Waves (Fluid mechanics)
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Boundary compliance selects heterogeneous dynamics in shear-thickening suspensions.
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            NameFull: Hu, Meng-Fei
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            NameFull: Zhao, Song-Chuan
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            – D: 25
              M: 03
              Text: 3/25/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 1031
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