Multiple objects interacting with a solidification front

Abstract

The interaction of objects suspended in a liquid melt with an advancing solidification front is of special interest in nature and engineering sciences. The front can either engulf the object into the growing crystal or repel it. Therefore, the object-front confrontation can have a strong influence on the microstructure and mechanical or functional properties of the solidified material. The past theoretical models and experimental studies have mostly investigated the interaction of isolated, spherical, and hard objects in pure melts. However, the outcome of object-front interactions in complex (more realistic) systems, where multiple objects and solutes are present, is still poorly understood. Here we show the interaction of multiple oil droplets with an ice-water front in the absence and presence of solute effects using in situ cryo-confocal microscopy. We report on how the object size, number of objects, and bulk solute concentration influence the the object-front interaction and the front morphology, as well as the subsequent object spatial distribution. We suggest that the volume fraction of objects suspended in a liquid melt in conjunction with the amount of bulk solute concentration are two important parameters to be incorporated in the development of object-front interaction models.

Materials prepared by Freezing-Induced Self-Assembly of Dispersed Solutes: A Review

“…1. Deville has recently reported 95 experiments where a growing planar freezing front encounters monodisperse oil droplets of different sizes. They show that isolated droplets…”

“…1. Deville has recently reported 95 experiments where a growing planar freezing front encounters monodisperse oil droplets of different sizes. They show that isolated droplets are rejected at the freezing front when they are smaller than a critical size while larger droplets are engulfed.…”

Freezing-induced topological transition of double-emulsion

“…17 Furthermore, recent investigations involving “soft” particles, such as droplets or bubbles, have shown that the overall complexity is further amplified due to the mechanical deformation experienced by the particles during the interaction with the moving solidification front. 18–20…”

“…17 Furthermore, recent investigations involving ''soft'' particles, such as droplets or bubbles, have shown that the overall complexity is further amplified due to the mechanical deformation experienced by the particles during the interaction with the moving solidification front. [18][19][20] The current understanding of this subject primarily stems from studying the interaction between uniform particles and a moving solidification interface. However, in modern technological applications, such as cryobiology and material science, complex and multicomponent particles are frequently encountered.…”