Effects of matrix viscoelasticity on drop deformation in dilute polymer blends under slow shear flow

The deformation of a single drop in a flowing dilute polymer blend is here investigated for slow steady shear, through video-enhanced microscopy and image analysis. The data are interpreted in terms of a perturbative solution of the fluidodynamic problem for small drop deformations, where effects of matrix viscoelasticity are taken into account. It is found that drop orientation towards the shear direction is directly linked to normal stresses in the matrix fluid. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.