Particle migration induced by confinement of colloidal suspensions along the gravitational direction

Full-scale solutions to particle-laden flows: Multidirect forcing and immersed boundary method

Towards getting the full-scale solutions to particle-laden flows, a multidirect forcing technique and immersed boundary method are proposed in the present work. The immersed solid boundary is represented by Lagrangian points and the no-slip condition is efficiently satisfied by exerting multidirect forcing. The hydrodynamic interactions between the stationary or moving solid boundary and the Newtonian fluid are able to be accurately described. This method is simple but efficient which is validated by simulating the flows around a stationary circular disc at different Reynolds numbers and the free sedimentation of a particle. The predicted results agree well with previous experimental and numerical data. When applying this method to study particle sedimentation near a vertical wall, the rotation shifting phenomenon is observed besides the anomalous rolling and the lateral migration.

State diagram for the electrostatic adsorption of charged colloids on confining walls: simulation and theory

We study the structure of charged colloidal suspensions under confinement and determine a state diagram for the occurrence of electrostatic adsorption onto the confining walls, an effect that results in the accumulation of particles on the bounding surfaces and that could be relevant in experiments. We use Monte Carlo simulations to quantify this structural transition and perform theoretical calculations based on integral equations. Overall, our results provide a guide for experimentalists dealing with charged colloidal systems to determine the relevance of this purely electrostatic effect.